Lightning & Time Part I
by Assassin In Black 1783
Summary: Desmond Miles lives, but more questions swim in his head as he searches for a girl that is Eve's descendant. As he wonders, Elinana Doricent a 18 year old, just graduated from high school, and on her way to Stanford University, awakes not in her home time. Or anywhere near her home. As she tries to get home, she meets the Master Assassins Altair, Ezio, Edward, Conner, and Arno.
1. Minerva's Last Instructions

**This is not that really happened in the games story line. It's mostly an experiment. And I have no clams to the story. This is a fanciful story, only. One of which Desmond didn't die, but is sent to find the person that has Eve's blood. This is a two way story. The person with Eve's blood will come soon. If this story does well, leave some words. **

Desmond's heart pounded on his ribcage, as he heaved heavy breaths.

Dark gray clouds rolled fare in above the tall trees. Carried on the wind is the unmistakable smell of rain.

Desmond poled his hood as fare as it could go over his head. Hunching his shoulders, he waited for the first drop.

_'__I hope Dad and the others are safe,'_ thought Desmond. _'__I can't say the same for myself. But, Minerva.'_

He slowed as he recalled the events after placing his hand on the panel.

What had waked him was the pain. His right arm felt as if someone had been lit it on fire.

Groaning, he slowly opened his eyes. Fearing the worst, but from his hazy vision it looked fine. Rolling to his side he uneasily got to his knees.

"Easy, Desmond," he gave a small jump at the sound of Minerva's voice. "You are lucky to be alive." The hologram of Minerva hovered over him, glowing in a rusty hue.

"Juno is wrong; you still have a roll left to play. And it's by the side of the one with the blood of Eve." Desmond was at loss for words.

"What does Eve have to do with this? How am I still alive?" Desmond asked with a shaking voice.

"Eve imprisoned Juno here; it's by Eve's blood that can kill her." Minerva started to fade, pixel by pixel.

"Find her, train her as one of your order, find the disc, then bring her back."

Minerva faded completely, leaving Desmond confused, and alone.

"Minerva?" he called out.

"She will come to you; the temptation will outweigh the fear."

"Minerva, who is she?" Only silence replied. He coursed in frustration.

"Long time no see, Miles." Desmond leaped to his feet, and turned to the voice.

It was a young man, some years younger then himself. Desmond couldn't see the boy's face, because he stood in the cover of shadows. But, he could see a long silver, shine in his hand, reaching down to the stone floor.

"I rather die then go back to the Lab, and be experiment on again." Desmond growled, and made a motion with his wriest, activating his hidden blade.

The boy sighed, and stepped into the light.

His blond wood hair reminded Desmond of a lion's main. He was at least as tall as Desmond, and he could see even this faraway, the boy looked as if he welded heavy blades for years.

"I don't blame you, nor am I happy to fight you." His voice was hinted with sadness, pity, and sham.

"But I can't do a thing to change it."

With that he charged, blade raised, and poised for blood.


	2. Struck and Broken

Before closing the back door of the café, Elinana inhaled the spicy and sweet aroma of the Teas, and Coffee of Rosemary's Café. She sighed with bliss, as she closed and locked the door.

As she made for home, she could smell the coming rain, and looked up the gray sky with her after storm, cloud gray eyes. Her layered chestnut hair flowed in the growing wind.

She poled her black hood over her head, and zipped up her jacket over her black peasant blouse.

Elinana's home wasn't far; it was just on the edge of the small town.

Off in the fields, a flash of lightning lit the dark gray sky. Her steps grow quicker, with the small fear of being struck.

The deep, rolling, drumming of thunder echoed, and waved over the corn and green wheat fields.

Elinana loved thunder storms, but as one loves a tiger or a lion, behind a shield of sorts.

Climbing the steps of the front porch, she reached for the door handle. But before she could touch it, blinding light consumed her vision, followed by a flash of fire all through her body, then darkness.

Desmond just barely maneuvered way from the killing blow of boy's heavy, large sword. If you where to see them fighting, you would say it looked more as if it was a dance really.

But one swing, Desmond blocked with his hidden blade, breaking it at the bass.

"You have no weapon Desmond," the boy wasn't even breaking a sweat.

Shaking his head, "you need to study more kid." He grumbled, ripping off the hidden blade strap, and leaped away from another swing. The last swing was so close it cut the strap of Desmond's shoulder pack clean off.

Seeing that his luck will run out soon, he through the useless strap that had just a half an inch of the blade on it still, at the boy.

The boy's head whipped to the right, with his hand to his check. With the boy slightly stunned, Desmond bolted, running for the dark mouth of the exit.

In the dime light, he scurried up the steep mound, with the echo of he boy's foot steps not far behind. Once at the tope, Desmond poled the rope up before he boy could grab it.

Desmond kicked off running again, wary of other Templars, he saw none. He ran, and ran, not looking back.

**Up next, a familiar face to those who know the stories. If I'm doing something wrong, please point it out. And don't be shy to say what you think as well. **


	3. Wrong Time

'_Amber.'_ Elinana's sleepy thoughts swam in darkness, with the spacey smell in her nose.

She groaned before turning on her side.

"Maria, I think she's coming to." a man's voice echoed, as if he was on the other side of a long tunnel.

"Move aside," commanded a woman's voice. "There now dear,"

Something damp and soft touched her face. Slowly opening her eyes, she saw a man in a corner, looking straight at her. He was clothed in a white robe, with a crimson sash. His brown hair reminded her of feathers, and his eyes were a worm shad of light brown. And down across the right side of his lips, an old scar.

A movement at the corner of her eye cased her to look up to the woman who sat on the edge of the bed. Her brown hair was braded and pined over her head, and her eyes where a darker hue then the man's.

"Who are you, and where am I?" Elinana asked with a drowsy tone.

"I am Maria, and this," she gestured to the man in the corner. "Is my husband Altaïr lbn-La'Ahad. And the answer to where; you are in Masyaf. This is our home, and you are welcome here."

Confusion washed over Elinana, waves of questions swirled in her head.

"What state is this?"

"State?" Altaïr asked. "There are no states in Syria."

"Syria?" Elinana sat up, her heart beating faster.

She gave a small jump to a sudden rap on the door. Altaïr sighed, and murmured a curse and a name, as he marched to the door.

Maria got to her feet, and stood near Elinana.

"Altaïr!" roared a muffled voice.

Altaïr poled back the wood door, letting a stream of bright light in. Elinana raised her hand to her eyes.

"Has the spy woken yet?" an angry, masculine voice asked.

"Abbas," replied Altaïr, calmly. "What is this?"

"We came for the spy."

She couldn't see the man, but she could imagine a man gritting his teeth. She heard boots scraping on wood and dirt, and sounds of men struggling. "Abbas, stop this!" growled Altaïr, as Elinana heard something heavy hit dirt, and footsteps approaching her.

Lowering her hand, she saw two brad men, dressed the same way as Altaïr. They reached out to grab her, but Maria stepped in their way with a sword in her hands. The men stopped in their tracks, not anticipating the woman to stand up like this.

Altaïr reached his wife's side, and glared at the men. "Get out of my house, as long as I'm the leader of our Order, the girl is under my protection." He growled with a firm, commanding voice.

The man that must be Abbas, glared darkly at Altaïr. Just when she thought things would make a turn for the worst, Abbas grumbled to his men, 'Come on men.'

They made for the door, and left. But before stepping out, Abbas tuned back, and glared at Elinana, then, Maria, then finally Altaïr.

"This isn't over." He growled, and then slammed the door.

Altaïr sighed, before turning to Maria, who now had the sword lowered with the end touching the floorboards.

He reached out for the back of her neck, and gingerly poled her forehead to his. Elinana tiled her head, and slightly grinned at the show of affection, between the couple.

Altaïr and Maria broke apart. He turned to Elinana as his wife went to place the sword back in its place over the hearth.

"How are you faring?" he asked warmly.

"Extremely confused." She replied. "Why did that guy think that I'm a spy?"

"You really don't know a thing, do you?" he kept his eyes locked on her.

"I know diddlysquat about what is going on."

"Who or what is 'diddly?'" Altaïr asked with confusion.

"Its one way to say 'nothing,' where I come from." she replied, in slight disbelief.

"Strange." Altaïr stared at her. "Well young Lady. He thinks that way, because you where fund at the heart of our most secure part, of our fortress."

"_What in hemoglobin?..." _Elinana's thoughts felt as if they were a Rubik's cube.

"How did you get past all our forces, without a single soul seeing you, might I ask?"

Elinana shook her head. "I don't know… Nothing you say makes any… the only thing that I know is that one moment I was just outside my home, with a thunderstorm kicking in, then…" she froze.

Altaïr and Maria grew concerned to her abrupt silence. "Struck by lightning," she murmured.

"I beg your pardon." Maria asked.

"I was struck by lightning… I think any way. That's all I know."

Altaïr left her side, and sat on a chare by a table. He rubbed his chin as he gazed of into his own mind.

"You have no recollection of coming here?" Altaïr asked after a moment of silence.

"None," she relied.

Altaïr puzzled for a long moment. Then hesitantly, rose from his chare, and kneeled to the floor, in front of a dresser. He made a movement with his left hand, and a shining, small blade slid from his wrist. Shoving the end of the small blade in a gape between two floor boards, he pushed is palm to the floor, and out popped the floor board.

"Altaïr!" Maria hissed. "What are you doing?"

He paid no heed to his wife, as he reached in the small hole and poled out a bowl sized shape. Wrapped in a linen cloth, and retuned to the table.

"That is that?" Elinana asked, leaning forward with her lags bent and tucked beneath her.

"This," he glanced at his cross wife, then to Elinana. And back to the mysterious objet. "Is how I might fund out some of your mysteries." He poled the cloth away to revile a gold ball, with strange lines.

"Altaïr!" Maria snarled. "Why with the girl around? You made rules for you're self—"

"I know my rules, Maria." He cut his wife off. "There is no where els for the girl to go, and I fell as if we can trust her."

Maria shook her head, and marched to the door. Grabbed a basket of some sort, and stomped out the door, fallowed by the bang of the door.

Altaïr cringed to the slamming door, and gave Elinana an apologetic glance.

"Forgive her," he glanced back the gold sphere. "This objet that lies before you is one wanted by ruthless enemies. It can turn a kind man, into a tyrant. And topple Empires."

Elinana coiled away. "Why keep it?" she asked, watching him closely. "Why not destroy such a terrible thing?"

"Because, this holds untapped knowledge; I could spend a lifetime studying it, and never scrape the surface."

She shook her head. "A good man my have good intentions. But of something like that can make a man into a tyrant, it is best to scarifies knowledge, then life."

A grin flashed across his face, but vanished quickly.

"You may by wiser then I. But this is the path I'm paving for myself."

"Then be carful where you step."

"Thank you." He gave her a grateful glance. "You never gave your name. I would like to know who I place my faith in."

"Elinana Cleo Doricent." She grinned.

"Elinana seems close to Hebrew origins, and Cleo is of Greek origins. But your last name… it strange, if you don't mind my saying. And you where surprised to learn that you are in Syria."

"Where is this going other then the fact that you find my name and actions strange?"

"That is where this," he holds up the gold sphere. "Comes in, however." He pusses and places the sphere on the table. "Where did you think you were, if I may ask?"

"Some where in America." She replied.

"America," he tasted the name. "I've never herd of it, could you name it's location?"

Altaïr started to creep Elinana out. "How can you have not herd of America?"

He pondered in his mind, and then looked to the gold sphere that sat near his arm.

"Again, could you tell my where this America, is?"

She sighed then answered. "West of Europe, across the Atlantic."

Suddenly he recalled the globe he saw five years ago, just after killing his mentor. Rising from the chair, he walked to the book shelf that stood next to a covered window. Plucking a lather bonded book, from its place. He flipped through page after page, till finding the leaf that he was looking for. He walked to where Elinana sat, and handed her the book. "Is this where your home lies?"

She gazed at the drawing of America, from the tail of Mexico, to frozen islands of Canada.

"yes." She replied, handing him the book.

Altaïr gazed at the drawing, then back to her with wonder.

"You speak of your homeland as if I should know its name, but until to day I nave had conformation of this undiscovered land."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Elinana's voice slightly elevated. "What do you mean, 'undiscovered?'"

Then like lightning the missing peace was fund. She raised her hand to her mouth. "Do you feel ill? You look pail as a sheet."

Lowering her hand, she stared at him.

"What year is it?" She asked, with a low quivering voice.

"My pardon?" he asked.

"The year," she repeated, with a stronger voice. "What is the year?"

"Eleven, ninety-six." He replied.

She shook her head and murmured over, and over, "no."

"What year did you think it was?" Altaïr asked, with a clam, worm voice.

"Twenty-twelve," she whispered.

Altaïr, gazed in wonder at her. "You are a long way from home, little Dove."

**I'm not sure if Altaïr spoke a different language then English, so I'm just doing it in English. **

**And ether this week or the next I'll have the next chapter written, and ready. So stay tuned! **


	4. Wander and Dream

**A week passed for Elinana, and Desmond. And in that time, Elinana leaned about the Assassins, Templars, and the Apple. The song in the chapter is "Riverside" by Angnes Obel. Enjoy! And the next chapter is coming soon, like this weekend, or the next. **

**I would have had it up yesterday, but do to bad internet access, I couldn't get it up till now. **

Desmond walked along the side of the road, not holding out his thumb when ever a vehicle came by.

His once white jacket was now spotty brawn, and his beard and mustache getting more grizzly with every day. Hands bared deep in his pockets, he shuffled through the confusing words of Minerva, and Clay.

"_Find Eve."_

"But where?" he whispered to himself.

"_In Eden," _he remembered Clay saying. _"Find Eve."_

"What does that even mean?" he grumbled in frustration.

Just then a large truck rolled by, with blue lettering reading 'Wal-Mart,' with six yellow lines forming a sun like shape at the end.

As the truck drove off, a small orange ball fell from the back and rolled to Desmond's feet. Pinking it up, he saw that it was an Orange. Then like lightning, an idea stuck him. "What if 'Eden' was a reference to farms, not the _actual_ Eden?" his thoughts exclaimed.

"Were is the closes farm or crop field?" his thoughts wondered. He remembered seeing a "Welcome to Michigan," sign yesterday. Recalling maps of the U.S. in his head, he remembered that Minnesota, the Dakotas, Wisconsin even Michigan is farming land. But something about Minnesota and the Dakotas seemed to almost 'call' to Desmond.

"Well, it's the only thing I have to go on." He said to himself, throwing and catching the orange.

Elinana and Maria walked shoulder to shoulder, down a path carved in stone.

On Maria's hip, sat little baby Sef, on Elinana's hip, a basket of dirty clothes. When they passed other women, they eyed Elinana and Maria. "I'm sorry for me making things harder for you and your husband."

Maria looked at Elinana with suppress, then pity. "Don't think for a moment that you are a burden dear." Maria said warmly, like a mother. "You help with the chorus; you even try to help Altaïr."

Elinana's spirits rose a little. "But with me being here, your neighbors hate you and Altaïr."

"Oh, don't pay any head to those old hens!" she placed her free hand on Elinana's waist, and poled her closer. They both smiled, and giggled a little, and received dirty glances from the women ahead.

Reaching the end of the path, they walked past mingled groups of young and old women; all of which eyed Elinana and Maria as they passed.

Maria led the way to a nice spot away from the group of _hens. _There Maria sat little Sef by the basket, as they set to work on the clothes.

The water shimmered like diamonds in the sun, and it crackled in its own tune and rhythm. Elinana hummed a tune that Maria never heard. And then she sang, with the reflected light of the water, dance in her eyes, face, and chestnut hair.

"Down by the river by the boats

Where everybody goes to be alone

Where you want see any rising sun

Down to the river we will run

When by the water we drink to the dregs

Look at the stones on the river bed

I can tell from you eyes

You've never been by the riverside

Down by the water the riverbed

Somebody call you somebody says

Swim with the current and float away

Down by the river everyday

Oh my God I see how everything is torn in the river deep

And I don't know why I go the way

Down by the riverside

When that old river runs pass your eyes

To wash off the dirt on the riverside

Go to the water so very near

The river will be your eyes and ears

I walk to the borders on my own

To fall in the just like a stone

Chilled to the marrow in them bones

Why do I go here all alone

Oh my God I see how everything is torn in the river deep

And I don't know who I go the way

Down by the riverside"

X2

_Hums… _

"Down by the riverside"

X2

"That was quite a singular song," Maria stared at Elinana. "And you have a lovely voice."

Elinana blushed, and worked on a stubborn spot on Darim's shirt.

"I had a strange dream last night," Elinana stated, still working on the stain. "At first it was about Altaïr. He was almost flying in my dream. But then it changed to some other Assassin. Same white and red colors, but the style appeared to be of the Renaissance, again and again a different time, all the way to my time."

"Your time?" Maria asked polling baby Sef way from calling in the water.

"Yes, I know the clothing style of my home time, anywhere." Elinana replied.

"Then there was darkness, but I heard an unpleasant voice. Out of the darkness I saw a man, a man that my father would build a Castle around me just to keep the man from even looking at me funny!"

Maria held Sef close and grabbed Elinana's hand and lightly squeezed. "And that's all I remember." She squeezed Maria's hand, smiled and sighed at the un-removable stain.

"Its fine dear," Maria changed the topic. "Darim stains everything he wears." She laughs and shacks her head.

Placing the shirt in the basket with the rest of the clean clothes, an idea just popped in her head.

Polling off her shoes, she leaped to her feet and ran into the shin deep, river. There she playfully splashed water Maria's way. She was stoned for a moment, but quickly took the challenge. After a number of vigorous splashes, they their wet linen dresses were plastered to their bodies.

For no reason, Elinana ran laughing into the group of women that tried to ignorer their play; and splashed several times at the ones that were close to her age. And bolted back, laughing playfully. Now every woman below the age of forty (which was every one of them) kicked of their shoes and jumped in the fun.

Looking over her shoulder she saw fifteen women all splashing, and laughing, and hot on her tail! She yelped and laughed, as one girl grabbed her wrist and poled her in a huge for others to drench her. Everyone splashed one another, yelping and laughing.

After what seemed like a good part of an hour, the last plash was thrown, and they all giggled to the shore.

Most of the women left, but three women remained with Elinana and Maria. Maria placed Sef on her lap, as Elinana inched close beside Maria, and gave her finger to Sef for his amusement.

"So," said one of the girls. "You're the spy everyone is talking about."

"I'm not a spy." Elinana replied, with Sef hitting/patting her palm.

"That's what a spy would say!" exclaimed the girl with amber eyes.

"Yalda," Maria eyed the girl with amber eyes. "You shouldn't call people liars, and believe gossip."

"Well spy or not," said the girl with jet black hair. "I think you sing better then anyone in Masyaf. Even better then Sargon."

"Better then Sargon?" Yalda said in awe. "You must sing for us!"

Elinana blushed, and started to feel hot. "I…" she mumbled.

"Oh, come now, please?" begged Yalda.

"She won't stop till you've sang," stated the woman that was barding the girl's jet black hair.

Elinana sighed, "Okay, I'll sing something."

Yalda inched closer, eagerly awaiting the song, but before Elinana could even utter a word, "Hay!" called a tall woman with dark hair and eyes. "The mother of the bride to be sends for all of you!"

"We'll come as soon as the spy has sang us a song!" Yalda replied angrily.

"No!" the tall woman gave Elinana a dark glare. "She wants you all to be fitted at once."

Yalda and the girl with jet black hair sighted before getting to their feet.

Elinana watched them go up the path, but the tall woman looked back once more, seeming to say with her cold dark eyes: "Stay way from them, stay way from everyone."

Maria held her hand, and then kissed her head before getting to her feet.

"Come dear." She said warmly to Elinana.

Potting on her shoes, she grabbed the basket and walked up the path beside Maria. "Don't be put-off by Tira." Maria said with a soothing voice.

Elinana giggled, "That woman could sourer milk with _one_ glance."

Maria and Elinana laughed, shoulder to shoulder.

Once the wet clothes where hanged, Sef was placed in the basket, in-between Elinana and Maria. They swung the basket a little, and Sef howled with laughter.

As Elinana pouched open the door, her eyes flashed to a form on the floor.

"Altaïr?" Elinana asked the silent room.

Maria gave the basket to Elinana, and rushed to the side of her husband. Altaïr's body was still. "Altaïr?" Maria called but he didn't ster. "Altaïr?"

Placing the basket down, Elinana looked him over, and checked for a pulse. To her relief, she felt the small vain pulse under her finger. It was then that she saw the Apple at the corner of her eye.

"He's alive," Elinana said to the frightened Maria.

"Altaïr," Maria called to her husband. "Wake up… I need you to wake up."

Elinana's hands shook, and her thought was tight. She felt his forehead, it was clammy.

Jumping to her feet she ran out the door. "Someone!" she called out in the twilight. "Anyone please, we need help!"

"What's that mater, little spy?" She turned around in time to see a blurred fist fly at her face, and then darkness engulfed her mind.


	5. Die Another Day

**Warni**ng**!**

**This chapter** **may contain materiel inappropriate for kids younger then 15 or 17. Reader's discretion is advised.**

**This **_**isn't**_** going to be pleasant.**

Elinana stood over Maria who cradled her husband's head. "This is your fault," she growled. "If you hadn't come, he wouldn't have pushed himself this far to find a way home for you!"

"No," Elinana whispered, tears swelling in her eyes, and then flowing down her cheeks. Then Maria and Altaïr vanished, but was replaced by her father; a tall strong man, with an old burn along his left cheek.

"I'm disappointed in you," his voice was never was rough, and cold. It was always worm, gentle, and deep; like a clear pool on a mild summer day.

Her throat tightened, and her heart twisted painfully. "Daddy," she panted.

"You were never my daughter; Anne and I only took you in, because we couldn't have a child of our own."

She covered he face with her hands, and shock her head, heaving sobs. Her knees would have given under her, but her lags felt like stone.

She cried, and cried, in the black silence. Then a warm wind waved over her. Looking up she saw a gigantic brawn wolf standing over her, with deep brown eyes. She couldn't look away from his eyes, even to see that her arms and hands weren't arms or hands any more, but white wings of a dove.

"_Come back,"_ his eyes seem to say.

"Back home?" she asked.

He gave a great shack of his head.

"Where then?"

Water exploded on her face, sending her from the dream world.

Gasping for air, she tried looking around but her right eye was swollen shout. And all she saw was a rocky circular room. The only light there was, was a fire pit, some yards to her left.

"She's awake." a man grumbled.

Elinana yanked, and poled against her rope bindings over her head. "That won't do you any good," she recognized that voice. "Little spy." Abbas snaked his way into her sight.

Suddenly the memories of Altaïr pasted out on the floor, and her trying to get help, came flooding back. And Abbas knocking her out, or was it one of his goons?

"What did you do to Altaïr?" she demanded.

"That?" Abbas replied. "That wasn't us. But," he vanished from her sight. "Let me be the one to ask the questions here."

With a terrifying echo of tarring cloth, her back and shoulders felt the open cold air.

Her heart sped up, like a horse in gallop. And her mind ran with what he would do to her.

"Here are the rules: you answer every question with the truth, and you might get to see the light of day again. But if I don't like your answer." The sound of a whip shot through her ears, fallowed a sharp sting running down her back.

She did her best to keep a scream in, not wanting to give him any satisfaction.

"I know you were a spy," he growled. "Only a spy would hold like you just did."

She shrived, not for being cold, but of pain, and fear. And she knew that this wasn't going to be that last of it.

"Now," his voice echoed. "What were you after?"

"Nothing, because I'm not—" She was cut-off by her own screaming.

"Abbas," said one of his men. "This isn't our way. You didn't even give her a chance to talk."

"She is a Templar spy." Abbas growled. "When have the Templars ever shown an ounce of mercy to us? Or do I have to remind you of your brother?"

"No." a voice muttered after a moment of silence.

"Stand outside and keep lookout if you don't have the stomach for this." Abbas ordered. "I'll ask once more, what were you after?"

"Abbas, you won't find any thing from—" another lash and scream.

**An hour later of his abuse. **

"Abbas," Elinana voice was rough, and tired. "I don't have what you are looking for. A blind man could see that if I could, I would have tolled you long ago."

Abbas forced her wilted head up to look at him. "Then maybe fire can get me what I want." Tarring his hand from under her chin, her head fell.

She didn't see him stick is sword in the flames. She flinched lightly to the sound of her dress tare.

"Tell me what I want to know and all the pain will go away."

With what strength she had, she slowly shacks her head.

Fire stabbed her thigh; drawing a broken cry of pain from her throat.

"Abbas!" someone called.

The fire stopped, but her thigh throbbed. Breathing heavily, she mumbled, "I'll tell you everything. I'll tell you everything."

"About time, sing little spy." Abbas commanded.

"I'm from the future," she whispered. "I was born on the year nineteen, ninety-four. I was struck by lightning and woke up here. I never knew about Templars and Assassins till this past week. Please stop, please..."

Darkness took her, as a mother scoops up a new born babe. Wind kissed her face, and light dance on her closed eyes.

A gentle, worm hand stroked her cheek.

"Not yet my babe, you still have a chance at life. A better chance then I ever had." The voice was deep, but kind as a cool breeze.

"Mother?" she whispered.

The light dimed, and the air grew still. Elinana tried to open her eyes, but they where glued shut.

Her back and thigh pulsed with pain. And she felt that she was on her stomach, and that the right side of her face was cold and damp.

Her groan was replied by a quiet, mouse like voice. "There, there, don't try to move, chilled. Those nasty Assassins are not going to touch you again. You just rest…"

She didn't hear the rest of his quiet, squeaking. She fell limp, in the arms of sleep, and not a sound, touch, or dream reached her.

**Next chapter will be fallowing Altaïr! The worst is behind! **


	6. Little Sister

Two shadows ran along the rooftops. Jumping, and silently winding around chimneys and stupid guards that patrolled the roof tops.

"Hay!" a guard yelled at the shadows. "You belong on the ground with the rats!"

The two shadows dove to a lower roof, just before the guard rounded the corner. He searched the midnight covered roofs, but saw nothing.

"Darn it!" he turned away. "Why do I always lose them?" he asked himself, as the two shadows ran the in other direction.

Under the shadow of the towering Cathedral, the two shadows couched, and looked up at the massive black giant.

"If Elinana isn't here," Altaïr began, as Maria looked to her husband from under her hood. "We'll try the Knight's Citadel, but if she's not there I there…we'll..."

"Find her," Maria grabbed and squeezed his hand.

"But what if we don't? What if all our endeavors end finding her cold, and—" Maria placed her finger to his lips.

"Every clue that we've fund points us here. And every one of them hints that she is alive. So stop worrying and start doing what you where trained to do."

He grabs her hand and kisses it. "Where would I be without you?" Altaïr leaned close to Maria.

"In a gutter," she replied. "Battered, and a complete mess."

He gave a chuckle. "Yes, yes I would."

"Enough tomfoolery, we need to find Elinana." Maria took command.

"Yes my love!"

Altaïr studded the Cathedral, guards where planted on the long narrow roof. And a number of large groups of guards walked around in the streets.

"Why would so many guards be placed all around the Cathedral?" Altaïr murmured to himself.

"Unless…" he closed his eyes, concentrated on his breathing. Clearing his mind, he opened his eyes.

The world was quite, the pleas of the beggars could still be herd, but they seemed to be far way. He scanned every window, till he saw a faint light that rippled from blue to white, from a window at the top of a tower. The light was beautiful; it moved like crystal water under moonlight.

"What in the world?" he whispered.

"What is it?" Maria whispered, not seeing the light, because she never developed eagle vision.

"Wait here. I'll climb over to the Cathedral, and see if she's there. _If_ she is here I'll signal for you. But mind the guards." Altaïr climbed down the wall of a dark alley, just across the way to the Cathedral wall.

"Altaïr," Maria whispered down to her husband. "Be careful."

"You too, Maria." With that, he leaped down to the ground.

Hidden in the shadows, he watched the pattern, and timing of the patrols. Two groups, walked around and around the Cathedral, both always on the other side of the building. Altaïr noted that his alley was at the mid point of the Cathedral. If he timed it right, he could make it half way up the wall before they could even see him. And the shad of night was on his side as well.

Preparing himself, he waited for the group of guards to pass. Just as their backs where to him, he quietly ran for the wall. Running the wall, he garaged hold of a ledge just under rows of thin iron bears. Scouring up, he leaped to the right to another window of bears.

Clambering up, he made it to the first roof. Sprinting to the left, he lowered himself on the side of the wall. Shimming over the left, he fallowed the corners till he was above the doors, far be low him. Clambering up the window, to the bulging stones, to the gigantic circular stained window, and finally to the second roof.

He was close to being parallel with the window now. The cool night air kissed his face, and fanned his robes.

Elinana lied on her stomach, cocooned in blankets, and hugging her father pillow. Every night for a week, her thoughts dwelled on the nightmare before her painful interrogation. Over and over, she told her self that Rick (her non-biological father,) never meant or even said those harsh words. But Maria and Altaïr, where lost to her; she didn't know Altaïr's fate, or Maria's feelings toured her anymore.

Not knowing what happened to them, or their feelings for her drew tears from her eyes. In a short time, she finally got a taste of what it's like to have a brother and sister. And she didn't want it to end, not this way, with pain, hatred, uncertainty, and not a word of Farwell.

Tightening her hold of the pillow, she breathed her sobs in it.

Taping, clicking, and scrapes tickled her ears. Turning her face from the pillow, she immediately saw what was making the sounds. A shadow of a hooded man just beyond the window, was working on the bottom of the frame.

Thousands of ideas of whom and why the person was here flooded her mind. And they where mostly comprised of an assassin coming for her blood.

Altaïr worked the blade under the window, trying to make a gape large enough for him to slip his hand or fingers under to force it open. He cringed with every sound his work made, hoping against hope that no enemies herd him.

Finally there was a gape large enough for his fingers to slip under hand heaved it open. Silently crawling through, he uneasily creped to the sleeping figure. Reaching out his hand, darkness suddenly blared his vision, as he felt his body falling. Hitting the floor, something landed on him. The person forced his hand that had had the hidden blade strapped to, above his head. And something pointy touched his neck.

"Don't try anything," Elinana's voce was forceful, but a quiver could also be herd. "Or ells…" she stopped, looking for words.

"Do you really hate me that much after what Abbas did to you?" Altaïr's voice, and words where the last thing she expected to hear. She breathed heavily as her heart twisted.

"Altaïr?" she whispered, with her voice on the verge of a sob.

A thud of wood meeting wood was herd. And she poled away from him.

He rose to his knees, as quiet sobs slipped through Elinana's fingers.

"Why do you cry, little dove?"

"I thought," she wept. "I thought you where dead, or badly ill."

His arms wrapped around her, but gently because he knew her back must still be on the mend.

"Don't cry," he said warmly in her ear. "I'm well and alive. Don't cry little sister."

"What about Maria?" her voice still tainted by her sobs. "Dose she hate me after what happened to you? And what _did_ happen to you?"

"Maria doesn't hate you, infect she has been worried for you. As for what happened to me, I was too eager to dive in to something that caught my interest, and fell into unconsciousness."

She shook her head, and hugged him hard before loosening her hold. "Am I going to have to hide that thing from you?"

He gave her a look that a child gives to a cookie thief.

"There is no need, I'll be more cashes when using it the next time." He grumbled.

"I was being sarcastic." She said with a small smile, and whipped away her tears.

He sighted and shook his head, then went the window.

"You're leaving already?" She asked as Altaïr's hidden blade flashed out into the moon light.

"No," replied, tilting his wrist to-and-fro, twice. "I'm signaling to Maria that you're here."

"She's here?" Elinana peered out the window the dark streets and roofs far below.

At first she couldn't see Maria, but just as she was going to question Altaïr, a shadow ran and clambered up the wall the Cathedral.

"Elinana," Altaïr lightly laid a hand on her shoulder, and poled her around he face him.

"Have the Templars made any threats toured you, or questioned you?"

"They have asked questions, but I acted tired when they did. The monks have kept them at bay, but less and less every day. And no, they haven't threatened me. Why?"

"I will revile everything to you, if you answer one more question."

"Ask away." Elinana wasn't certain where this was going.

"How have your wounds healed?" He asked uneasily. A sliver in his voice hints that he felt responsible for what had happened to her.

"I'll live." She simply answered.

"That doesn't give me much to go with."

"Why does it mater?" she was getting tired with him for not telling her what he was getting at.

Maria crawled in through the window. "Elinana!" she breathed with relief.

"Maria." Elinana squeaked, as Maria hugged her.

"Have you told her the plain?" Maria asked her husband, with her arm around Elinana.

"No because she said 'I'll live.'" He grumbled, crossing his arms.

"Why does it mater if my back hurts?" her voice elevated.

"So you are in pain?" his voice matching hers.

"You two calm yourselves." Maria stepped in. "Altaïr, go and see if there are gourds patrolling the floors."

"Maria—" Altaïr attempted to argue.

"Don't 'Maria' me, go and do what I said."

He huffed, and marched to the door. Peeking through and seeing nothing, he left.

Maria poled Elinana to the bed, and there they sat.

"Our plain was if we found you, and if your wounds where heeled enough, we would take you back to Masyaf."

"They still do hurt," Elinana broke the silence. "But who's to say that the Templars wouldn't move me to a more heavily guarded place tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow?"

"I agree," Maria murmured. "But we don't what you to have to endure anymore pain then you have."

"I can make it. There is more to me then you knew."

"What do you mean dear?"

"Three times I've came close to death, and every time I've walked way in one peace."

Maria gazed at her in a new light, one with respect, and understanding. For she saw that this girl can take what live throws at her. No mater how heavy the hard ship.

Removing a sack from her back, she handed it to Elinana. "You'll need these."

Elinana undid the leather strap, and poled open the sack. In side were leather boots, gloves, and white assassin's clothing.

"Altaïr," Maria called. "Eavesdropping is a terrible habit that you have."

Altaïr pouched open the door, and stepped through the threshold.

Elinana gave him a dirty look. "How much did you hear?"

"Every word." He muttered.

"And?"

"Maria and you have decided. Get dressed; I'll take care of any guards that could give us trouble." He said as he walked to the window, crawled out, and disappeared.

After eliminating several guards he climbed to the widow, but had his head under the frame.

"Is she decent?" he called.

The moon was high in the pitch blanket, which held thousands of winking stars.

"Yes, she's decent." Maria called back.

Clambering up, he sat half in and half out of the window. Standing next to Maria stood Elinana in the white robes of the Assassin's Order, with her braded hair sitting on her shoulder. It was odd to see her in the robes; to him, it was like placing a wolf's hide on a lamb.

"You have the rope?" Altaïr asked Maria, who dug in the sack and poled out a long thin but sturdy rope.

Poling himself through the window, he took an end and tied it to the rafters. He gave it three hard tugs, satisfied with the knot, he throw the rest of it out the window.

"Ladies first." He bowed and gestured to the window. Maria went first. Elinana watched how she used her feet on the wall to almost walk backward. Then she noticed how high up the room was.

Her heart quivered, and she started to sweat in her pits.

"Scared of heights?" Altaïr asked, not in mockery, but concern.

She shook her head, "falling, actually."

"I'll give you the same advice I give to the trainees. Don't look down."

She gave a weak laugh.

Maria reached the ground, and it was Elinana's tern.

Awkwardly climbing through the window, holding tight to the rope, she placed the tip of her toes on the wall.

"You can lean back a bit more." he said warmly.

Leaning back a bit, she slid one hand down the rope, then the other, stepping back a bit.

"That's it," he incurred her. "Just keep it up, don't look down, and you'll be on the ground before you know it. And one more thing,"

She stopped to hear his words.

"There is patrols of guards in the streets, have their _backs_ to you before reaching the ground. Then run for the alleyway."

Elinana nodded, and then inched down the black tower.

**The next chapter will be up some time this week, or the weekend. **


	7. Face of Dread

Black water shimmered with moonlight, as a dead man holing girl, sank. Bobbles large and small danced as the girl clothed in white robes of Assassins, fought to free her self from the dead man's hold. She poled, kicked, and pawed, but still she sank. Sinking in the dark deeps, as the moon light faded.

Desmond bursts awake, panting and drawing heavy breathes, as if he was the one that was sinking in the water instead of the girl.

After a moment of seeing cars drive by, and telling him self that it was all a dream. His breathing grew easier, and his heart settled to a normal beat.

Now that he had settled down, his mind pondered on the dream. One of things that he wandered was if the girl was the one Minerva sent him to find.

"_But her robes looked like they were from the Crusades. And the Templar knight…" _

None of it made sense. _"Maybe in the morning I'll think about it more."_ Desmond's thoughts grumbled as he slowly, and uncomfortably, tried to slip back to sleep. But trying to sleep on a bench was not an easy task.

The wind howled in Elinana's ears as she inched down the black tower of the Cathedral. Her hands where sweating, and shaking under the leather gloves. And to top it off, every movement she made, was answer by a sting from her back.

With Altaïr still in the room that the monks tended to her in, and Maria down on the ground, Elinana felt the urgency to make down faster.

Breathing heavily, she forced her self to go faster. She was doing well, despite the stinging of her wounds. But moving too quickly, she didn't have grasps the rope tight enough. Slipping down with the air moving under her, her hand automatically grasped the rope.

Elinana's breathes quivered with her body, as she hugged the rope.

"One foot at a time." She commanded her self, and then inched down slowly.

After what seemed like hours, her feet felt the ground under her. After sighting with relief, she remembered the danger that walked the streets.

Dashing to the alleyway, Maria greeted her with a huge.

"I saw you falter, are you hurt?" Maria asked, with concern in her voice.

"I'm fine," Elinana panted. "I'm just glad to feel the ground under my feet again."

The sound of a thump made Maria to look over to the rope that lay in a small heap near the wall.

"Stay here." Maria ordered.

Looking around corners for guards, upon seeing none, she dashed for the rope. Scoping the long rope in her arms then ran back to the alley.

"What about Altaïr?" Elinana asked as Maria worked on winding the rope in a ring.

"Altaïr can handle himself." Maria answered as she stuffed the rope in the sac. "He'll find us on the way to the Bureau." Maria grabbed Elinana's hand and led the way.

They stayed close to each other as they walked from alley to street, then another alley. No one bothered them, but Elinana felt a cold tingle from her neck to her back, that now continuously stung.

Looking over her shoulder, all she saw was a guard. She couldn't make out his face but something screamed inside her, that she should know it, and him.

Trying to stay concentrated on the task at hand. Elinana cuddled closer to Maria, and kept her eyes low.

No mater how hard she tried, she always glanced over her shoulder. Sometimes a guard was there, others, he wasn't. Elinana didn't like it.

"Maria," she whispered, finally deciding that she should point out the guard. "I think we are being fallowed."

"I've noticed too." She whispered back. "Just stay close to me and—"

A white and crimson blear ushered them down a black alley. Maria fought, but she was knocked out.

Without Elinana even getting a chance to fight, or even scream, she was pined to the wall. There under the shadow of the guard that stalked her and Maria, she then understood why. It was the face she saw in her dream with the Assassins from other time periods.

One eye was blue, and the other amber. And his mustache, creped down the sides of his lips to his chin.

"I doubted at first," his rough voice _was_ from her dream, there was no doubt now.

"But now," he lighted.

"I never forgot the face of the woman that imprisoned my beloved."

His hands wrapped around her neck.

As blood pulsed in her ears, her father's voice rose in her mind.

"One of the places that can you can cause a man most pain is; the groin." Then without thinking her knee rose up between the lags.

Groaning, he relisted her throat. Leaning against the wall she kicked him in the gut, then the face.

Thinking that he would fallow her instead of trying to hurt Maria, she bolted. Bursting out into the street, she ran, not caring where she was going. She didn't know anyway.

Looking over her shoulder, she saw the man limping after her.

Her heart pounded on her ribcage, and her back throbbed. The world was a blear as she ran. She found her self climbing a ladder, and running along a wall over looking the vast black sea.

Just in time to stop her self, she stood on the edge of the wall. Heaving heavy breathes. She turned to see the man approaching her, blocking the way to the ladder.

Looking around, she saw the arms of the harbor, like some strange octopus. And off in the distance, she could make out Altaïr and Maria fighting a hoard of Templar guards.

Her heart sank as she realized that they where out numbered, and too far.

"No where to go." he said with his arms wide, closing the distance between them.

"Why?" she panted.

"Revenge dreary."

"I've never meet you before, I don't even know who this 'beloved' of yours _is_."

He was to closes now. She stepped back, only suddenly remembering, that there wasn't any more ground for her. He grabbed her wrist, and poled her to him. She fought, but his arms where iron.

"Elinana!" Altaïr called. She tried to see him but couldn't get around.

"Altaïr!" she screamed. "Maria!"

Something cold touched her throat.

"This is for Juno." He whispered in her ear, with a hot breath.

Instead of sliding the blade across her throat, he jerked the side. The world slowed as his weight pouched her forward. She helplessly watched, as they fell to the black water of the harbor. She drew all the air she could hold, as they meet the water.

The black water shimmered with moonlight. Babbles danced as she struggled to get free. But even in death, his hold was iron.

Altaïr watched helplessly was Elinana fell, then meet the water. He stood in shook as he waited for her to come up.

"Elinana!" he called. "Elinana!"

He saw nothing, but rippling black water.

"Elinana." He breathed.

Rage roared to life in him. Drawing his sward, he swung heard at a Templar. The fire that blazed in him fouled his deadly strikes, and swings. Not even a red helmed, fully equipped Templar, could mach him in his state of rage.

Blinded by anger, he didn't see a blow from his side. Knocked to the ground, a blade touched his neck.

"Altaïr!" Maria called.

"Hay bucket heads!" Elinana yelled.

Every head turned to the smoked girl. "Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelled of elderberries!"

"You call _that_ an insult?" one guard called. But his head was swatted by another.

"You idiot," said the guard. "She called our mothers breeding rodents, and our fathers' drunkards."

"Oh!"

Then the one that stood over Altaïr ordered something that Elinana didn't understand. But it got the effete she wanted. They all rain down on her, like dogs to food.

"Whoa Nellie!" Elinana bolted.

First she ran along the dock, but made a sharp turn to wood beams stinking out of the water. She heard a commotion behind her, and some splashes. But not once did she look back.

Now on stone, she ran towards the gigantic Templar Knights that held Altaïr and Maria. "Ladder!" she yelped.

The two Knights just watched her and the other guards following her, run by. They exchanged some words, and then shrugged.

Altaïr and Maria exchanged a glance, nodded, and then drove blades into the Templers.

Elinana darted up the ladder, closely fallowed by the hoard, and ran to the edge of the wall. Turning to the horde, she glanced down to see the last one clamber up the ladder.

Altaïr stood at the foot the ladder, and looked to her. He seemed to ask if she knew what she was doing. Nodding slightly to him, he poled the ladder away from the wall and placed it on the ground.

"Hay, what's the assassin doing?" one guard said.

"Gentlemen," Elinana stood on her tip toes on the edge. "You will always remember this as the day you almost caught, Elinana Cleo Doricent." Leaning ever so lightly back, she dove into the water.

"The ladder is gone!" yelled a guard.

"Well don't just stand there, go get her."

"But, but." The guard pouched the other over the edge. And meet the water in a belly flop.

Elinana swam to the dock, slightly cringing to the throbbing sting of her back. Altaïr and Maria kneeled down to help her out of the water.

Once on the dock, Altaïr saw faint red lines, on her back. She breathed heavily, as she uneasily got to her feet.

Placing an arm around Elinana's waits, Altaïr half carried her from the harbor. Not paying attention the guards quacking, and splashing in the water.

The closer they got to the Bureau, the more Elinana placed her weight on him.

"Stay with me," he whispered. "Stay with me Elinana."

Before long they stood at the foot of a ladder that leads to the entrance the Bureau. Instead of letting Elinana climb of on her own, he toke her up on his shoulder and climbed up.

Once on the roof, he gently placed her down to give Maria a hand. With his back turned, Elinana crawled to the entrance, with was a lard squire hole in the roof.

"This way in?" she grumbled tiredly.

"Yes," he replied.

Just as Maria climbed on to the roof, she call Elinana's name. Looking back he just barley saw Elinana fall through the entrance.

"Elinana!" he leaped down next to her. "Elinana?" he cradled her head.

"Altaïr," she murmured. "Can I sleep now?"

"Yes." He replied as Maria leaped down. "You can sleep."

With his words in her ears, she fell in the arms of dreams.

**(Elinana revealing her inner nerd in this chapter with the Monty Python, and Jack Sparrow quotes. ****) The next chapter will be up some time this week, or weekend. **


	8. The Falcon and the Dove

Lightning filed a dark gray sky, one after another they danced. The booming of thunder shook the earth. And the wind pouched, and rattled the trees.

Elinana ran her familiar route home; past the church she and her father goes to, south from the library, west from the post office, and down the road, to home.

Striding up the porch, she fling open the door, and darted inside. Panting she looked around her unchanged home. The DVDs displayed around the Television, the photos of her past hung on the rusty hue walls with her mother and father.

"Dad?" she called out.

Checking the kitchen, all she saw was the tan painted walls, and black walnut cabinets. Turning away, she ran to the second floor.

"Dad?" she called. Poking her head in her neat enough room, nothing. Checking her Father's room, after knocking, he wasn't there either. And lastly the bathroom, after knocking, and still he was not to be found.

She called, and searched everywhere. Trying the land line, all she could hear was the dead silences.

"Dad," she whispered. "Where are you?"

"_Basement!"_ Her thoughts yelled at her. _"You haven't tried the Basement!"_

Sprinting to the door behind the stairs, she polled open the door. She would have flipped the swish of the basement lights, but the light of the basement fireplace glowed yellow.

"Dad?" she called as she sprinted down the stairs.

But she halted abruptly, upon seeing a hooded stranger sitting on the sofa before the flames.

He stared at her, not making any moments, as if he was stone.

"Where is my Father?" Elinana demeaned. He didn't respond, or moved. "Where is Richard Doricent?" **(Nickname Rick).**

The man rose to his feet, and slowly approached her.

"Don't come any closer!" she backed away the foot of the stairs.

He stopped, and raised his open hands.

"I won't hurt you," his voice, it was deep, warm, and for some reason it was smaller to Altaïr's voice.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Why?" she toke a step on the bottom step.

Seeing that she didn't trust him, he offered a proposal. "If I go back to the sofa, would you tell me then?"

"Maybe." She replied.

"Fine." He walked back to the sofa.

Elinana stayed where she was; ready to run at the slightest sign of hostility.

"How about now?" he lightly called.

"Elinana," she reluctantly answered. "What about you?"

"Desmond Miles." He replied. "I don't know your father by name, could you describe him?"

"He is tall, firm." She explained. "Has an old burn along his left cheek, sandy hair that he cuts himself. And he has forest green eyes."

"Can't say that I've seen him, sorry." He sounded sincere, but she wouldn't lower her guard, not after what Abbas and the crazed guard did, or nearly did.

"Why are you here?" she demanded.

"I don't know," he replied after a moment. "I just… I don't know. I was under an oak some where on the edge of Minnesota and Wisconsin."

"Either you're really lost or really crazy." Elinana stated. "Because you're in North Dakota, just go north and you'll meet the border to Canada before long."

"I don't know," he shook his head. "I think you're the one who's crazy."

"Says the man that doesn't know where he is."

He laughed to her remark. He had a good laugh, one it seemed to Elinana that he hardly used.

"Maybe," he laughed, and then he grew grim. "Maybe."

"Are you a tree huger?" she saw it best to change subject.

"What?" he retorted.

"You said you where under a tree. So I thought, 'tree huger.'"

"No, I was under the tree because I was sleeping."

"So you're homeless, or just really like trees and just won't admit it?"

"First off," he grumbled. "Drop the tree huger thing. Secondly, I wouldn't completely say I'm homeless."

"What do you mean not completely homeless?"

"It's complicated." He sighed.

"Why does it have to be?"

"Fine," he threw his hands in the air. "I might as well tell you, it's not like you, miss dream girl, is going to tell anyone."

Elinana took two steps up the stairs.

"I don't have a home; I haven't had a home since I was a teen. And now I'm on the run from an origination that would do experiments on me, or even kill me. And some old, dead, lady wants me to find some girl. Not giving me a name, or location, or even why, why the girl, and what for?"

This was too much, way too much for her liking. Elinana bolted up the stairs. He was chasing her, and gaining. She ran to the kitchen, knowing where everything is, she had no trouble finding a Chef's knife.

Turning around to face him, she raised the knife out before her, letting him see she was armed, and will defend herself.

"Don't come near me," she warned him. "I have no interest on facing death again so soon."

"I'm sorry," he had his hands raised; stepping back till his back touched the wall.

"I didn't mean to scar you. I'm just…" he sighted. "Just going through things that are crazy, and I'm tiered of not getting a strait answer."

"I'm sorry too." She murmured. "It's hard to trust some people after not only one person tried to kill you, and almost succeeds. But two."

He crusted a colorfully.

"Why did you call me dream girl?" Elinana changed topic.

"Because this isn't the first time I dreamed you up." He explained.

"It's funny that we both think the other is just a dream." She stated.

"Wait, what?"

"I'm dreaming,"

"But I'm dreaming too."

"That's weird." Elinana puzzled. "Never heard of a dream like this before, have you?"

"I'm just as lost as you."

"_Elinana,"_ a voice whispered. _"Elinana,"_

"Do you hear that?" she asked Desmond.

"Hear what?" he looked around.

"_Elinana,"_ it was Altaïr, but his faint, and faraway. _"Time to wake up."_

The kitchen started to get hazy. _"Elinana?"_ Desmond voice was far, but she could hear the concern as he rushed toured her.

Opening her sleepy eyes, the kitchen was gone, as so was Desmond. In their place, was clay like stone walls, and Altaïr, with his warm hand on her cheek.

"How is your back?" Came Maria's voice, fallowed by her face next to Altaïr.

"It hurts, but it's not terrible." She replied, the memory of Desmond slowly fading.

"Eat, and then we'll leave for Masyaf."

**A little short, sorry, but I fell it's important. Weekends are funny here, so if not Saturday, then I'll have the next chapter next Tue. or Wed. at the most. **

**P.S. I'll like to say "thank you!" to you followers, likes, loves, commenters, and all that jazz. I'll do my best to give you good readings. **


	9. Escape To Masyaf

After eating a loaf of bread, and somewhat washing her self, thou Elinana could still smell the fishy odder of the harbor still clinging to her, and changed to some clean Assassin's robes. She fallowed Maria to the wall that leads the way up to the roof.

Elinana gazed up the wall; her back lightly pulsed, as Maria clambered up and out.

Altaïr past her, and then faced her with his back to the wall. Bending his knees slightly, and lucked his fingers together.

"Up you get!" Altaïr he gave her a reassuring smile.

Elinana hesitated, but then laded her left hand on his shoulder. Placing her foot in his cupped his hands, Altaïr gently lunched her up.

Maria grabbed her wrist, and poled her up to the roof. Before Elinana could offer him a hand, he was by her side.

A cool breeze kissed Elinana's face from under her hood. The moon smiled sideways, reminded her of the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland. And the stars in the twilight sky winked, like tiny gemstones in the glow of the Cheshire's smile.

"Elinana," Altaïr poled her to face him. "The Templars will be looking for you, so once on the ground, keep your face down, and stay close to Maria. If anything happens, you and Maria run, and don't look back."

She stared into his shadowed face.

"But—," she attempted to argue, but Altaïr tilled his head the same why her Father does when she disagrees with him.

"Do not worry, little Dove. I can hold my end better then you think."

She breathed a sigh. "Fine," she muttered. "But if something does happen, promise you'll be carful."

"Every thing will be fine." Altaïr murmured.

"Promise." She ordered.

"I promise. Now move." Altaïr ushered her to the ladder.

Once they were all on the ground, Elinana lowered her face, and closely fallowed Maria. No one bothered them as they made their way through Acre.

After a long while of walking, Altaïr laded a warm, comforting hand on her shoulder. "We are nearing the gate," he whispered in her ear. "We will be joined by friends in a moment."

Just as he said, not long later scalars in white filed in around Maria, Altaïr, and herself. A shadow covered them as they walked under the gateway. She expected the guards to search them. But then the faint light of the Cheshire's smile was slightly visible to her limited vision.

Altaïr laded his hand in her shoulder once more. "Well done!" he whispered. "We will mount horses just around the bend."

But as they walked, a stink grew in the air. She had smelled it in her past, when a bird had fallen down the chimney, and broke its neck.

"Altaïr?" she whispered over her shoulder.

"Keep your eyes down." He replied.

She did as he bid, and kept her eyes on her boots.

Turning around the bend, Altaïr ushered her to a horse that Maria had mounted, and helped her up behind Maria.

Elinana wrapped her arms around Maria, and looked up to the winking stars, because she could still smell the reek of death somewhere below.

Altaïr mounted a black mare, as the girls rode off on the path. He fallowed closely behind them, ready for the first sign of danger.

There wasn't much to see of the pass that was nestled in the rocky pecks. Nothing but stone, dart, sand, and prickle bushes here and there. But something familiar reached Elinana's nose. Not the smell of death that was left behind, but the smell of life. The dampness of rain cleansed her nose and lunges. And off in the distance, a faint rumbling boom echoed to her ears.

It was then that she remembered her strange dream, and the hooded, grizzly Desmond. She pondered so deeply on her dream, that Maria gave her a slight shack, waking her from her thoughts.

"Elinana?" Maria looked over her shoulder.

"Yes, what?" Elinana replied.

"Do you fell well?" Maria asked.

"Yes, why?"

"You wouldn't respond to us." Altaïr stated as he rode up beside Maria and her.

"Sorry, I was just trying to figure out this dream I head before we left." She explained.

"Dwell on it later," Maria ordered, as a mother to a chilled. "We aren't far to Masyaf now. But I don't like the look of the patrolled ahead." She nodded to what struck Elinana as strangely dressed grades.

They wore pointed helmet caps, with cloth wrapping on the rime. And the armor was comprised of square melt pates on leather vests.

Maria and Altaïr steadied the horses pace. The patrol grew nearer and nearer. Eleven, Elinana counted, all big and armed.

The leader raised his hand and called, "hold there!"

Maria and Altaïr poled the horses to a halt, and gave a glance to one another.

"What may you three be doing out on the road at this time of night?" He demeaned with the small horde at his back.

"We are on our way home after a visit to our cosines in the valley that lies under the Templars watch." Altaïr weaved the lie, without a hitch.

"Why not spent the night their, then on the road?" the guard demanded.

"Moon or Sun, we do not mind what time of the day it is." Altaïr replied. But he saw that the guard wasn't buying it.

The guard nodded. "Assassins!" he bellowed.

Elinana couldn't take in what was going on, only that the horse they where on kicked of running. The air rushed past and the world blurred at the speed of the mighty beast.

Looking over her shoulder, she saw Altaïr holding a silver, and crimson glistening sward. The black horse that he was still mounted on, danced with a deadly grace.

Maria abruptly guided their horse around a bend, and Elinana lost sight of Altaïr. Closing her eyes, she prayed that he would make it in one peace.

Maria called out something, but Elinana didn't understand what she said. Then she poled the horse to a halt, and leaped off. She ran up to a group of assassins that listened to her rushed words. Then one said something to her, then lead the other assassins down the path that Maria and her came.

Maria ran back to Elinana, who started in confusion down to her.

"Masyaf is just down the road, fallow it and you'll be there shortly." Maria gave Elinana the reins.

"You're going back." Elinana said, not as a question, but a statement.

"Yes," Maria replied. "We pasted another patrol not that far back."

The clatter of steal meeting steal, echoed down the road that they came.

"Go," Maria ordered.

Elinana looked down to Maria, and back to the path behind her.

"Go!" Maria swatted the horse's rear, sending it running up the path. Maria watched Elinana ride away, and then she turned back the path. A gigantic guard stood in the shadow of a peak. Maria drew her blade with a grin.

Elinana had never been on a horse, before this night. She had been on a Mary-Go-Round on occasions, but never a _real_ horse.

The world and air rushed by, but it almost seemed that either she was doing well for her first time riding on her own, or that the powerful beast didn't need guiding.

After a while, the horse slowed. He breathed heavily, but continued down the road. Elinana looked ahead down the path, and saw the shadow of Masyaf's gate. And several shadows came running to meet her.

"Elinana?" Malik called her name.

"Malik, we ran into some trouble not far back. Altaïr tried to buy Maria and I time to run, but there was more. So she and a group of assassins went back to fight them off." Elinana explained as an assassin helped her down from the horse.

"How many were there?" Malik asked in a gentle tone.

"I only counted eleven, but I'm sure there's more." she replied, tried, and worried.

Malik talked to the five assassins, but Elinana looked down the road.

Seeming to feel her uneasiness, the horse lightly brought his cheek to her shoulder. She pated and rubbed his neck as the five assassins leaped onto horses, and rode down the path she came.

"Come," Malik said warmly as he lightly grabbed her wrist, and lead her to the gate.

"Altaïr and Maria will be fine." He reassured her. "Once at their home, you can bath, and rest."

The cricket's song was the only thing that Elinana heard, as she laid on the bed wrapped in blankets, on her stomach.

_Please._ She prayed. _Please let them be alright. All of them, please._

After tending to the lightly wounded, Altaïr and Maria walked the dusty path home, with his arm wrapped around Maria's waist.

"I've been thinking," Altaïr reported to Maria. "Once Elinana has healed, I think I'll start training her."

Maria looked up to her husbands face. Though it didn't show, he was tired from the events of the night.

"Even how to kill?" Maria asked.

"No, she is too innocent to take a life. She is _better_ then that." He replied.

Maria nodded. She never liked killing, even at times regrets it.

Elinana was a rose in bloom; Maria saw the sparkle in Elinana's eyes when she laughs, and when she talks about her dream, of owning her own tea and coffee shop. Maria can hardly remember when she was as innocent as Elinana is. She wondered how a young woman like Elinana can be so innocent.

_Her mother and father raised her well._ Maria thought.

"I'll teach her how to defend her self." Altaïr continued. "We won't always be there to help her. So I'll teach her the basics, even come up with some things specific for women."

Maria poled him to a stop, and kissed him. He wrapped his arm around her, and held her close. They stayed like this for some moments, and then continued up the path home.

Unable to lie down anymore, Elinana sat up, crossed her lags and wrapped the blanket around her shoulders.

In the darkness she hummed a song that she learned in her childhood. The song was "I miss you" from the film "the Seventh Brother", it was a sad song, but she loved it. It was the bitter sweetness of love and loss that hooked her, like the movie Titanic.

Suddenly the door opened, and two shadows creped into the room.

"Maria," Elinana squeaked. "Altaïr?"

"We're here dear." Maria answered warmly.

Elinana leaped from the bed, and embraced them both.

"We really got to stop getting in trouble the way we have." Elinana mumbled.

"I couldn't agree more." Altaïr replied, holding Maria and Elinana close.

**Took me some time to get this ready, but here it is! And I'm trying to take it easy on the writing. But stay tuned! And share what you think, don't be shy! And some time next week I'll be jumping into a new game, (maybe), I've gone half a summer without a game! (Crazy twitching eye). And on September 8 I'll be starting my Senior year, yahoo! So by then I'll be completely devoted to school. I **_**might**_** work on chapters then in my free time. But we'll get there, when we get there! **


	10. Blueberries and Headled Wings

The water trickled, and shimmered, polishing the rocks under the ever moving diamond snack.

Elinana traced her finger along the healing scars. There wasn't a mirror in Masyaf, so she had to take Maria's word and the words of the three only girls that she can call friends. That her scars are looking better, but she can tell that they still looked terrible. And it was; long, reddish pink lines all across her back.

Once dressed, she slipped on her shoes, and walked to the path leading up to Masyaf. The walk up the path was quiet; in fact she couldn't recall seeing a single soul. She looked up and down the path, and saw no one. She quickened her pace up the path, always looking over her shoulder.

She was near Altaïr's and Maria's home now. But Masyaf was utterly quiet.

A twig snapped loudly behind her. She gasped, and leaped around to the sound. And there stood Abbas, with an impassably large, black shadow behind him.

She backs away with her hand out behind her, feeling her way to sanctuary.

"Oh little dove!" she looked back, and saw the guard that tried to cut her throat. Behind him trailed a black shadow that grew, and engulfed every thing behind him.

Her head whipped back in fort from one to the other. She back up, and turned around. Instead of Altaïr's and Maria's home, it was her own. She ran up the porch and twisted the handle, but it wouldn't tern.

"Dad!" she called. She tossed the door rug, and pouched the flower put away, in her desperate attempt to find the key.

"Dad!" she screamed, and hammered her fist on the door, and twisting the handed with all her might. "Dad!"

She looked back, they where some yards from the porch now.

"Daddy." She whispered. Her heart raced with her breathing.

A click behind her toughed her ears, then she stumbled forwards as the door opened. She darted inside, poled the door shoot, and clicked the lock.

Elinana grabbed a bat from the umbrella stand, and ran to the living room window. Looking out, she saw no sign of Abbas or the crazy guard.

"Elinana?" Desmond asked, with concern and surprise.

"Back door." She murmured as she sprinted past the stairs and down the hall. After glancing out the window of the back door, she then locked it.

"Elinana," Desmond's voice was full of concern. "What's going on?"

"Just having a nightmare, about the two loony men that have tried to kill me a month or so back." She shook her head, panting. "But they could be gone, now."

Desmond was unsure of her words, even Elinana was uncertain of her words.

"I could do with a blueberry muffin. How about you?" she asked, as she led the way the kitchen.

Desmond peered in as Elinana poled out a bowl of blueberries, and platter of blueberry muffins from the black fridge. She placed then on the kitchen table, in the center of the room.

"Do you like blueberries?" she asked as she polled out a chair, and sat down.

"I wouldn't say I like, or dislike them," he replied, as he sat across from her. "But being on the run, and never really getting to stop and enjoy the small stuff." He grabbed a muffin, and a hand full of berries. "I'll take anything, even a cherry pie, which I hate."

"I never cared much for cherries, either." She stated, and then popped a hand full of berries in her mouth.

"So," she asked. "How are things on your end?"

"Well, I made it to North Dakota." He replied. "But I have no clue where you are."

"If you want to find me you are going to need a delorean or a TARDIS." She giggled.

"What?" he sighed.

"Believe me are not," she began. "Apparently I can travel back in time, just by being struck by lightning. I don't know if it was a fluke or if by some weird reason, like me being a mutant like in X-Men, or something."

"Yea," he stared at her. "I _don't _believe you."

"Well you asked." She bit into a muffin.

He sighted, and shacks his head. "Where or should I say when, are you?"

"The Crusade, in a homey place called Masyaf, if you must know." she replied.

He stared at her in shock, recalling the time he spent reliving the memories of Altaïr.

"how…wha…?" he mumbled. "Does the name Altaïr mean any thing to you?"

"How do you know that name?" she asked.

"Long story, but you've meet him?"

"A bit more then meet him. He and Maria; his wife, saved my life numerous times, and took me in under their roof." she replied.

"But we are wandering off," she stated. "You're lost, and I don't trust you enough to give you my home address. But if it's the only way for you to make sure that dad has not tore the country apart looking for me. I'll give you a clue. The name of my home town begins with a B. and to make it easier, my dad works as a Firefighter." 

"I can't believe, you actually meet him," Desmond muttered.

"Was I just speaking to a brick wall?" she didn't attempt to hide her annoyance with him.

"Home town begins with B, Firefighter father." he eyed her. "What is he like?"

"A big brother," she replied, a slight grin on her lips. "He's like a big brother. And Maria, a sister, and their two boys," She gigged. "Darim calls me Unit Ana, and little Sef is _the_ sweetest baby I ever meet!"

"It sounds like you really like them." He murmured, hiding his envy well.

"More then that," she replied. "I love them, and it will be like ripping out my own heart when I leave."

"Leave?" he asked.

"I may feel like I belong with them, but I don't belong in this time. And I can't just leave dad, not if there is a slime chance on getting back." she bit her half eaten muffin, with tears swelling behind her eyes.

"I don't know what to say." he ran a hand along his slightly long dark brown hair.

"_Elin!"_ Maria's voice called lightly, but it was as if they where on the opposite sides of a tunnel.

"See you next time Des." She waved a salute.

"_Elinana, time to wakeup, dear." _

The kitchen blared, and faded, leaving Desmond sitting there alone.

Maria smiled down to the drowsy Elinana.

"Come on dear, the wedding is this evening." Maria reminded her with a warm voice.

"The wedding," Elinana murmured. "Right."

**Several hours later**

"_Oh cucumbers,"_ she thought as she saw the all of the population Masyaf, gathered in the garden.

She paced back and forth before Altaïr's desk. While lyrics of a song, and thoughts of doubt swirled round and around. She was so nervous, and swallowed in her thoughts, she didn't see Altaïr approach.

"Elinana," Altaïr spook gently, seeing her nervousness. "Don't worry; you practiced the songs over and over. You'll sing like an angel."

"But the crowd… what if I mess-up, and let Ishtar and Asu down?" she crossed her arms, and bit her lip.

He lightly grabbed her shoulders, and looked in her after storm, gray eyes.

"Just pretend you're singing to Maria, Sef, Darim, and me." He stroked her head, like he would the feathers of a Dove.

"Okay." She breathed.

He kissed her forehead, and then whispered. "You can do more things if you think little Dove." Then he left her to gather her courage.

"You can do this." She whispered to herself, as she stepped out the garden. Colorful lanterns dimly acuminated the calibration, in the violet and indigo sky.

She walked over the band, and nodded to them. She found Altaïr, Maria and the children just before the music stated. At first, her voice was faint, but as she sang, her voice echoed with glee.

"Mmmmm ... Mmmmm ...  
I get wings to fly  
Oh, oh ... I'm alive ... Yeah

When you call on me  
When I hear you breathe  
I get wings to fly  
I feel that I'm alive

When you look at me  
I can touch the sky  
I know that I'm alive

When you bless the day  
I just drift away  
All my worries die  
I'm glad that I'm alive

You've set my heart on fire  
Filled me with love  
Made me a woman on clouds above

I couldn't get much higher  
My spirit takes flight  
'Cause I am alive

When you call on me  
When I hear you breathe  
I get wings to fly  
I feel that I'm alive

When you reach for me  
Raising spirits high  
God knows that...

That I'll be the one  
Standing by through good and through trying times  
And it's only begun  
I can't wait for the rest of my life

When you call on me  
When you reach for me  
I get wings to fly  
I feel that...

When you bless the day  
I just drift away  
All my worries die  
I know that I'm alive

I get wings to fly  
God knows that I'm alive"

The calibration stretched well into the night, with songs and dance. Elinana even got to hear Altaïr sing. He was surprisingly good.

But once it was midnight, Maria thought it was time for the boys to go to bed. So Altaïr placed Darim on his shoulders, and they all walked home.

Elinana was grateful that the boys got tired when they did, because Yalda was begging for them to sing 'Seven Drunken Nights' again, and Elinana was ready to fall unconscious on a bed.

"Elinana," Altaïr looked to her. "Morrow, come to the training ground at nine in the morning."

She hummed sleepily in reply. A slight grin toughed his lips, as he walked along side Elinana, who seemed to almost sleepwalk.

**The first song is "I'm Alive" by Celine Dion, and the "Seven Drunken Nights" belong to Celtic Thunder. I don't own them! And the chapters will be coming slowly. I really want to play a video game! And there is some big stuff going on today and tomorrow. So see you around in some days! **

**Have some cake! (hint, hint, wink) **


	11. A Leap of Faith

"Aunt Ana!" Darim called, tilting his head to the same degree as Elinana's sleeping face. "Aunt Ana, Father wants you at the training grounds!"

Elinana yawned, and murmured, "That's nice." But, coming through blackest, it sounded like "Vat's ice"

"Who's Vat, and what's ice?" Darim asked, but Elinana burrowed deep in the blankets and pillow.

Seeing that she wasn't cooperating, he leaped on her. He wasn't heavy; it was like being jumped on by a twig, to be frank.

"Ana, wake up!" He sang, and lightly jumped.

Without warning she twisted around, and wrapped her arms and the blanket around him, both squealing with laughter.

"You stinky!" he giggled.

"You bet I'm a stinker!" she laughed as she hugged and wrestled Darim.

After their wrestle, Elinana dressed herself in the white robes that Maria or Altaïr had laded out for her.

Once outside, she saw it was a beautiful morning. The sun was just peeking through the peaks, and there was hardly a cloud in sight.

"Hay Darim, want a ride?" Elinana smiled to the little twiggy boy.

"Yes!" he grinned, and jumped on her back once she kneed down.

With his arms around her shoulders, she ran in zigzags and titled this way that way. All the while he howled with laughter.

Once in the training yard, she slowed. Trainees from as young as Darim, to just some years older then herself, trained in a wood ring at the center of the yard, or practiced fighting with one another, or on practice dummies.

Altaïr greeted them with a smile.

"I got Aunt Ana!" Darim smiled in triumph, and hugged her with his might.

"Yes you sternly did!" Altaïr lifted the boy from Elinana's back, and gave his son a hug before setting him down. "Go on and practice with your friends."

Elinana watched Darim run-off to a small group of boys his age. Altaïr turned to her, and opened his mouth to speak to her. But a group of trainees approached her.

"What is a song bird doing in hawk's feathers?" The trainee that circled Elinana was just years older then her, and he was a good a head and a half taller then her.

"Maybe she thinks she can fly with the big birds." Another trainee circled her, he was substantially shorter then her.

"Erin, Set," Altaïr stepped beside the intimated Elinana. "Leave the girl along if you're only going to scare her."

"Master," Erin bowed his head. "I mean no offence, but this girl doesn't belong here. Let alone wear the robes of our order."

"She has just as much right, if not more, than you do." Altaïr eyed Erin darkly.

"But she is a _woman_." Set rusty spoke. "Women are meant to mending, and washing clothes. And be there to war—" Elinana fist drove upward in an uppercut, sending Set flying.

"How dare you little!" reared Erin.

"How dare I?" Elinana replied. "I grew up in a land were _no one_ tolled me what to be what to do, who I had to marry. I grew up in the open fields where I could be what _I _wanted to be."

"There is no such place you little lire." Erin growled.

"Erin, take Set to a Healer." Altaïr growled, using himself as a human barrier between Elinana and Erin.

Erin looked as he was going to argue, but he stepped around to Set, who lay groaning on the ground, and helped him to his feet.

Altaïr eyed Erin and Set, as they left through the gate.

Elinana jumped as a gentle hand grasped hers.

"Easy little Dove." Sargon gave her a warm smile, as he soothed her hand that she just only noticed throbbed from hitting Set. "You have quite an uppercut, Elinana!"

"My Dad taught me." She murmured.

"He taught you well. And I think we should stop calling you a Dove." Altaïr stepped beside her.

"I'm sorry." Elinana murmured.

"Don't be," Altaïr replied. "Erin and Set need a good hit to the head every now and again."

"And it's poetic justice for your part." Sargon's words were replied with a warning glare from Altaïr, and a confused look from Elinana.

But it didn't take long for it to come to her; _"They where the ones the helped Abbas, kidnap me". _She slightly stretched her shoulders and back.

"Why did you call me here?" she asked, stretching, and cracking the knuckles of her right hand.

"I'm going to teach you how to defend yourself."

"You're going to make her a _Sister_ in our Brotherhood?" Sargon asked Altaïr with wide eyes.

"Yes, if she shows talent." Altaïr replied.

"Does that include…?" she hesitantly asked.

"No, I only teach you how to take a life if you asked it of me."

"Good, because I have a morel code: to only kill if I have no other choose."

Altaïr sent Sargon back to his training, then started Elinana's training; from work out, to defensive moves. Every day from dawn to dusk, Altaïr trained her. He even trained her on climbing and running around on rooftops. And soon Elinana's three friends joined in.

One morning Altaïr called the girls and some boys their own age to the gate.

"Morning, I presume you all are wandering why I called you all here. To day we will be doing something different." Altaïr grinned slightly under the shadow of his hood. "Today we will see how well you do hunting down your pray, while you yourself are being attacked."

The trainees all talked amongst themselves. But Elinana grinned in acceptances of the challenge.

"Master Altaïr," asked a boy trainee. "Who will we be hunting?"

"Me." He replied, hiding his smile.

"Assassins!" Altaïr yelled, and ran as assassins bulked the way to him.

All the trainees tried fighting there way to Altaïr. But Elinana darted around the fight, by going through the alleys. Coming out behind the fighting she ran up the main path for a breath moment, but darted in the alleys. Half of her didn't know what she was doing, but the other half polled her on, weaving around, and over buildings.

Elinana perched herself on an edge of one of the tallest buildings. And there she saw that a few of her fellow trainees had managed to get past the fully trained Brothers, but Altaïr seemed to have vanished.

Crouching low, she searched for Altaïr. Her mind cleared letting her surroundings seep in her eyes. A yellow line stretched from the gate where the hunt began, and yellow ghost of Altaïr fallowed it all the way to a haystack far below her.

Shacking her head, the yellow line and ghost vanished. _"What is wrong with me?"_ she asked herself.

But looking down to the haystack, she couldn't think of any other place he could be.

"Guess this is one reason why they call it a leap of faith." She muttered to herself. Steadying her breathing, she leaped from the edge, arms out like she was about to fly…

The stifling sun hung high in the blue sky that touched the endless crop fields. Desmond didn't like taking of his hood, for fear of being discovered by the Templers. But his bred and mustache hid a good part of his face. So he decided to risk it, and took off his jacket. Taking it off did help, but not by much.

Not long later he finally made it to a town named Bottineau, hopping that his search was finally over.

After asking around, he found the Fire Department. Men and Women sweated through their gray T-shirts that had the logo the Department on the leaf of the chest. There weren't any fires at the time, but they worked to keep the equipment ready, and in working order.

"Excuse me," Desmond asked as a firm, brown skinned woman walked by with a lode of fire hoses.

"Yes?" she replied.

"Does a Richard Doricent work here?" he asked.

"Yea, are you here about his girl?"

"Yes, can you point me to him?"

"He's in the lunchroom. Has she been found?" the woman asked.

"That's something that I should discus with Mr. Doricent."

"Fine, and feel free to water." with that she went back to work.

Desmond found the lunchroom; inside he searched the sweaty faces, then he saw him, Rick's face was down casted.

He approached man, and the chatter died as got closer.

"Richard Doricent?" the man looked up to him. The rings around his eyes indicated that he spent the nights warring, drinking, and mourning for his lost Daughter.

"Yes, can I help you?" Rick's voice was deep, and would have been gentle, and warm if it wasn't tainted with depression.

"Can we speak in a more privet place?" Desmond asked.

Rick nodded, then led the way back the way Desmond came, and rounded the corner.

"Is this about Elinana?" Rick asked. "Has she been found?"

"She is alive, and well. And she is worried about you." Desmond was treading lightly, Rick wouldn't believe him if he told the _complete _truth.

"How do you know this, and how do I know you aren't the one who has taken her?" Rick almost growled.

Desmond polled out a phone from his back packet. He had found it on the road some weeks back. It was in perfect contusion, if not for the multitude of grumpy cat pictures in it.

"This," he lied. "I've tried calling her, but only she can call me. She doesn't know where she is, but she hasn't been harmed in any way, or defiled."

"Why you, why is it she hasn't called the police?"

"This is the only number she can call. And I have tried tracking her, but it didn't work. And she gave me a word that would convince you that I'm not the one who kidnapped her,"

Desmond weaved an exhalent tale, one that he had gone over and over. But he knew it could crumble to peaces with one wrong word.

"Blueberries."

Tears ran from Ricks eyes; he pawed them away, but they came all the same.

"She's alive," Rick said over, and over. "But who has her, and what for?"

"She doesn't know." Desmond's lies tasted, bitter in his mouth, but it was the only thing that would make sense for Rick.

"When was the last you herd of her?"

"Just some days back." one of the few truths. "I can't say when she'll contact me again. But when she does, it's at night."

"And only she can make the call." Rick inched his head as he thought. "Do you have a place to stay here?"

"No, I only just arrived." Desmond answered.

"You look as if you been through some things." Rick gestured to Desmond's dirty clothing. "You can stay at my place, but it'll be the basement." He offered.

"A basement sounds nice, actually."

"And if you are looking for a job, Sara is in need of some more hands at her bar, the '40 below Zero'".

"Thank you." Desmond hid his surprise well.

"No need, just give a yell when she calls."

Desmond nodded. "It's a deal."

**Hay all! I'll get the net chapter up soon. And you'll start to see the time braking between Elinana and Desmond. In other words, she is using more time, then Desmond. You'll see what I mean. You can even see it happening in this one too. And no shy guys share and share alike!**

**See yea soon! **


	12. Dancing Flames

It was a long time since Desmond last felt clean, even longer since he had Pizza. As he reclined on the sofa, he melted in the cushions. After spending more then a month on the road, a basement seemed heavenly.

"_Okay, girl,"_ Desmond thought as he started to drift off. _"Talk to me…" _

A full moon sat in a midnight sky, surrounded by winking stars. Flames danced and reached high for the sky.

Elinana ran in a flaming maze of carnival tents. Her white dress flowed with every movement. And one white wing, flapped on her back as she ran.

She looked over her shoulder continuously, searching for the unseen evil.

Rounding a bend, she meet a dead end of flames. Turning back, she saw a jester in red and black, step through the flames. It was the guard that nearly cussed her demise.

"What is the mater, little Dove?" he mucked with an evil curl of his lips. "Can't flyaway from the hot flames?"

She backed away, till the heat of the flames nearly kissed the one wing. But he inched closer.

"Why?" she cried, trying to hide her fear, and despair. "Why do you keep trying to kill me, what have I ever done to you?"

"You carry the weapon that imprisoned my beloved, and the weapon that could kill her, daughter of Eve." He snarled and spat at the last bit, as if the name was acid in his mouth.

He dove for her; she danced aside, but the flames creped closer, closing the space. Recovering quickly, he attacked again. She put-up a good fight, but one miss step sent her falling to the ground, with the man on top of her. She ticked and clawed, but he was far stronger then her.

His hands wrapped around her throat. The heat of the flames helped her killer chock her. Her blood pulsed like drums in her ears, as world was engulfed by dancing flames.

Desmond shut up from his sleep. Breathing heavily, just like the last time.

Swinging his lags of the sofa, he wiped away the sweat. He wondered how he could sweat in the cool basement.

"That man," Desmond thought. "Twice he tries to kill her. What was it she said? '_Two loony men that have tried to kill me…"' _

"If he is one of the two… he's going, or has or is… ah!" his head spun with or's and if's.

I can only hope that she contacts me. That's basically the only thing I can do, and warn her, if I can.

He lidded back, and whispered; "I'm not big on belief, or religion. But… let her come out of this. She may loss some peaces along the way, but that's better then nothing… I guess. She is a good kid, and if I ever had a little sis, it would be her.

So if any one _can_ hear me, bring her home."

With that, he drifted in a deep, dreamless sleep.

Air rushed around Elinana as she fell for the hay stack. She tightly closed her eyes before she hit the hay with a hiss. Before it dawned on her that she made it, she gave a small yelp as arms wrapped around her.

"The thing was," Altaïr stated in her ear. "_You_ had to get _me_, not the other way around."

She giggled, not just by his statement, but by the fact that she jumped for a _building_.

"I can't believe I just did that!" she laughed, as she crawled out of the hay. "And I can't believe I found you." She stopped laughing, remembering _how_ she found him.

"How did you find me anyway?" Altaïr asked. "I was sure that on one saw me hide here."

Altaïr turned to her. She lightly bit the inside of her cheek, trying to think of how to explain it. As she thought, Altaïr declared Elinana the winner, and sent the trainees on their way to the usual training.

Turning back to Elinana, he saw that she took a seat on a stone bench. He sat next to her.

"You can tell me anything, you know. I won't laugh, or be judgmental." His voice was warm, and comforting.

"I know. it's just…" Elinana tried to think on how to say it. "I don't know how exactly I did it."

"Explain what happened; don't dwell on it so hard."

Elinana let the events slip through like water.

"I was letting everything seep in, my mind was clear, and this yellow line stretched from the gate, all the way to the hay. And yellow ghost of you fallowed the line." she raised her feet to the edge of the bench, and hugged her lags. "Crazy. Right?"

"Not at all," Altaïr saw the surprise and confusion on her face from under her hood.

"I have the same talent, as do a number of our brothers. Though I can't see the paths of others, or see their past actins. It nearly seems as though yours is more developed. And far beyond that I ever thought it could be."

"But what is it, and why is mine different?"

"We call it Eagle Vision, we us it to see what is impotent, from what is not. As for why your gift is different, I can only guess."

"Well, at least I'm not crazy all on my lonesome."

"Sarcasm." He shook his head, and stood up. "It's time that you got back to your training, little Sister."

**Okay, I kind of want things rolling with the story before School, so I can't say when the chapters with be up. The next one can range from a day to a week. **

**And how am I doing? What is null with anything of it? What do you like or dislike? This is an experiment, so say what you think. Be chatty, if you may! **

**P.S. Just a reminder that I don't own Assassin's Creed; this is just a fanciful story.**

**Thank you all! **

**P.P.S. Sorry that it's short!**


	13. The Unseen Side

**Warning! **

**Chapter **_**may**_** contain material too much for kids under 13 to 15. I made it mailed, but all the same.**

**One month later **

Wind kissed Elinana's hooded face, and tugged at her white robes, and chrisom sash. And on the wind, rode the sand from the distant ground.

Elinana took in every path, alley, and building that she could see. Once she was certain that she knew how to navigate the streets on her own, she leaped from the perch, and another trainee took her place.

Turning in the air, she felt the arms of the air flow around her. She landed with the hiss of the hay in her ears. Before leaping out of the hay, she waited for the glowing red guards fallow a red line down the main path. Leaping from the hay she walked quickly to a group of scalars in white. Joining in she and the scalars walked to an alley. She darted in as the scalars went to another spot to wait for the next trainee.

Time was something Elinana didn't want to waste. She fallowed the alley north-east, till she found a sturdy wood create under a ledge just out of her reached.

Before stepping on the create, she looked down the alleyway. Certain no eyes where on her, she leaped for the ledge, and then heaved her self up. Swinging over, she clambered up a window, and swung to a wood beam that connected the two roofs of the alley. Once on the roof, she continued north-east. Leaping and clambering along, avoiding the sight of gourds.

Elinana stopped to catch her breath, and dangled her feet off the edge of a roof. Looking around, she saw no traces of her fellow trainees, or Altaïr that was watching them.

She had watched Ishtar and Asu go first, then Sargon, and then herself. Elinana wondered how they where all doing, and if she was at least in fourth place.

Without her hearing, Altaïr sat next to her. She jumped and yelped; "Cheese and rice, Altaïr!"

"Hello to you to." he hid is amusement for startling her, well. "You're near your target, you know."

"Really?"

"Yes, and you're in first."

"First, are you joking?"

"Why would I joke about something like this?"

"It's just; I thought Ishtar and Asu where first."

"No they are in the north-west corner, bickering."

"What about Sargon? He went before me."

"He's wondering around, searching for the target, in the wrong place."

"And the others?"

"Held up at the view point."

"Yalda?"

"However did you know?"

Elinana giggled, imagining Yalda clinging to the side of the tower as if it was sticky paper.

"What will you do with her?" she giggled.

"Take a jump with her. That's the quickest and easiest way."

"Altaïr this is _Yalda_. You have a better chance at washing a cat then getting her to jump!"

Altaïr eyed her. "I'll worry about Yalda, you worry about the target. By the way, why are you still here? He could be getting away from you, for all you know!"

She rolled her eyes, and leaped to the next roof, and continued her hunt.

After confirming that she was in the right aria, she clambered down to the streets. Clearing her mind, she prowled around, searching for the target. Not long later she spotted the target. A thief, no older then her; clothed in black and brown. She saw that he would enter an alley just across from her, so she waited for him to walk down in the alley, and then followed him. He turned around a bended, she lightly ran to the corner, and peeked around to find a knife pointing at her throat.

"Well, well, well!" he grinned. "Female Assassin, you all must be getting dispirit." He mucked.

Remembering her training, she grabbed the thief's hand that held the knife. Leaned back, and brought her foot up between his lags. Twisting is arm she kicked him behind the knees, sending the thief kneeling to the ground.

Taking the knife, and pressed it lightly to his throat.

"Tell me about Gladys's death. And don't try anything." She bluffed.

"I don't know what you are talking about."

"Don't play coy with a girl that has a blade to your throat. We saw you fleeing the scene."

"All right, I was there, you got me. _But_, I didn't kill her."

"Then who?"

"Godfrey, Godfrey De Sable. Now can I go?"

"Did you take any thing from her?"

"No, my Lady."

"Do if to repeat myself?"

"I'm honest; I searched her, but found nothing."

"What about this Godfrey, did he take anything?"

"Yes, in fact he did. It was thin and circular, with a hole in the center. We could work together to get it back."

She rolled her eyes, and took the knife away from his throat. "Thank you for your cooperation." She dropped the knife before him, along with a coin.

"If you run into more assassins tell them Elinana has already interrogated you." She walked way. "Sorry by the way, it was nothing personal."

"You aren't what I thought an Assassin would be." He collected his knife and the coin, and uneasily rose to his feet.

"Because, I'm not ordinary and nether are they."

Walking out of the alley, she heard a commotion that seemed to be getting closer.

"Assassin!" yelled a small mob of Templars.

She leaped for a near by hay stack, but it was too late, they had seen her. Leaping back out she ran for the nearest alley. As she darted from alley to main paths, she realized she was going in the wrong direction. She was still going north-east, not south-west to the safety of the bureau.

Correcting her course, she ran to a ladder, and scrambled up. Once up, she kicked the ladder back, sending the Templars falling.

The world was a blear as she flew across the roofs, fallowed by a train of Templars, throwing rocks, and sending arrows that hissed at her feet.

"_Altaïr,"_ her thoughts wept. _"Where are you?"_

The next thing she knew, she fell, face forward, do-to something hitting her from behind.

"Where do you think you're going?" she knew that rusty voice of a rat.

"Set," she fought agents his hold. "What are you doing?"

"You aren't one of us," he whispered in her ear. "So what the Master doesn't know won't hurt him."

Suddenly he flew off her, with a groin, and a thud at her side. Rising quickly she saw the thief, punch Set, and explode to his feet.

"Run assassin!" he yelled.

They kicked off running, from roof to roof. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Set fall short of a jump.

She didn't know why, but she ran back and grabbed his arm as he slipped.

"Don't let me go!" he pleaded, clawing at her arms.

She could feel him slipping from her grasp. "Someone, help!" she yelled.

"Here's some help!" replied a gourd, and then throw a rock hitting her in the temple.

Pain drove through her head, as her grip failed. Set yelled as he fell four stories, and then howled in pain when he hit the ground.

She saw helplessly through pain; a red helmed, giant, Templar stand over Set, with a raised sward. She closed her eyes as the sward shined down, ending Set's howls for mercy.

Hands grabbed her arms, and forced her up. Warm liquid tickled down her cheek, and tears burned behind her eyes.

A gloved hand forced her face up. Opening her eyes, she saw a giant red helmed Templar before her. He commanded something, but she didn't understand the language. When she didn't answer, he released her face, and punched her throbbing temple.

She gasped in pain, but only briefly. Her time with Abbas has apparently made her able to stand pain better, but only by a little.

The Templar demanded that same unknown question. And still she didn't answer.

He poled off his helmet, and snaked is arm around her, polling her closer. He polled off her hood, and whispered in her ear with a hot fowl breath. Gritting her teeth, she brought her knee up between the Templars lags, and spat on him.

A fist from no where slammed into her gut, sending her breath out from her. Looking up, she saw silver blades shining, and flying to both of her sides. The two that held her lost their hold, and fell to the ground like puppets whose strings just gat cut.

Falling to her knees, someone kicked the giant Templar in the face, knocking him out.

"Elinana!" she dazedly looked to up to see Sargon kneel beside her. "Are you alright?"

A white glimmer caught her eye. Looking to the source, she saw Altaïr in a rain of crimson and falling men.

After the last Templar fell, Altaïr looked to Elinana. And on her face, was pear, and utter shock, and horror. She had never seen what he was capable of, and seeing her look at him, the true him, it made him ashamed of what he is.

"You!" Erin roared, breaking the spell. "His dead, Set is dead because of you!" Erin marched toured Elinana, pouching Sargon, the thief, and the trainees out of the way.

Altaïr ran like lightning before Erin and blocked the deadly strike would have killed Elinana.

"Why Erin?" Altaïr demanded, as he danced a deadly dance with Erin.

"She is not one of us; she never has and never will. And you are blind to it Altaïr!"

Fiery anger bloomed to life in Altaïr. He danced aside as Erin dove for him, and drove his blade through Erin.

Elinana looked away as Erin's body fell. Her body trembled, though she wasn't cold. Awkwardly got to her feet, she blindly ran in the direction of the bureau, with Altaïr calling to her.

Dropping down into the bureau, she uneasily waddled to a corner. Her head spun, and her body continued to tremble. All the while, visions of Set slipping from her grasp, Erin's harsh words. And Altaïr, bathed in chrisom. Swirled and burned into her heart.

"I'm sorry." Altaïr whispered. "I'm sorry you had to see that. But the rules of the world that we live in are harsh."

"I know the rules of the world." she replied. "I just never saw death like _that_. And Erin was right. Set is dead because of me, and I don't belong here. I was fooling myself for thinking for a brief moment that I could."

"What happened wasn't your fault. You hear?" Altaïr gently, but firmly forced her to look him in the eyes. "You didn't swing the sward. You did what you could. And you _do_ belong."

Tears swelled and flowed from her eyes. "I want to go home." She whispered. "I want to go home."

He know she didn't mean Masyaf, and seeing her like this, tor his heart, though he didn't show it.

Wrapping his arms around her trembling body, he poled her close. As if he could keep her from falling apart.

**Again, how do you think I'm doing? What do you like and or dislike? I would really like to see some feedback, please. **


	14. Tears and Rain

**Warning!**

**Grab some tissues, or a hankie, and a fuzzy friend; alive, or stuffed. **

A week has passed since the incident in Damascus. Altaïr returned to the Apple, searching, and tying to peace together why, and how Elinana can travel in time. He hardly leaves it, and Maria wondered if half of the reason he is so absorbed in the Apple, is because he's hiding from Elinana.

It must be true, because Elinana spends her time with the horse that she named Hercules, and fussing over a kite that she made. She stopped training, and never takes off the clothes that she wore the day she arrived.

After staring into the Apple for hours, Altaïr returned to the real world, and rubbed his face. Maria walked up behind him and massaged his shoulders.

"I can't find anything," he murmured. "I've been searching for days, and I still haven't found anything for Elinana."

"She seems to have an idea." Maria wrapped her arms across his shoulders.

"Her idea might get her killed."

"It's her decision; we can't force her to change it. She's so like you, that why."

"But she could end up in the Roman times, or worst."

"We just have to hope she is right."

"hope." He murmured.

"Yes," replied Maria, standing straight, with a firm voice. "And I understand what happened in Damascus, and the two of you are letting it tear you both apart. You and Elinana where almost inseparable, and ever since she came you forgot about the Apple. But now you use it to hide from her. One of these days her storm will come, and the two of you won't ever get to mend the bound that is fading."

"Maria." He murmured.

"Go to her, you know were to find her."

Elinana sat on the edge of the heist tower of Masyaf, searching for a storm that could be her ride home. But not a cloud can be seen for miles.

Sitting alone, she started to sing the song she hummed the night she escaped from Acre.

"So lonely

Missing you each day I pray if only

For a moment I could see your smiling face

You take away

This emptiness inside of me

But I'll be strong until we meet

I miss you

Long to hear you laugh again to kiss you

Let you know that life begins when I'm by your side

Holding you tight

You give me strength to brave it all

Faith and hope when darkness starts to fall

When to wind blows cold and threatening

Nobody's there to comfort me

Someone, somewhere hear my plea

Until then please let me know how long till

I hear your hear singing that sweet song then

I'll be there to sing along in harmony

Just you and me

The music stops when you're not here

But my hear sings until you're near to me

Oh can you even hear my cries

That calls your name beneath the stars tonight

When the wind blows cold and threatening

Nobody's there to comfort me

Somehow, someone hear my plea

Until then I hope you know

I need you

To chase away the clouds so I can see you

And run through fields of flowers like we used to do

Just we two

Hold on the memories until that day I'm holding you again…"

Little did she know, Altaïr listened to every emotion she conveyed through her voice and the lyrics of song. And it near broke his heart.

Elinana wept silently, as he soundlessly approached her. She gashed, and lightly jumped as he wrapping her in his arms.

"Altaïr," she sniffled, and wiped away the tears, but they flowed all the same.

Not a word was said. But they understood, just by holding each other tightly. When she cried her last tear, they broke apart. And they sat on the edge, shoulder to shoulder, looking out over the peaks.

"Do you still hate me?" Altaïr asked.

"I never did, and never will." She replied. "You are the closes thing I'll ever know to having a big brother."

He squeezed her hand. "I don't like your idea."

"It's the only one we have, Altaïr."

"I know I just…wish there was a better way."

"Me too," She murmured. "Me too."

Looking off into the horizon, a cool breeze touched her face. Her heart beat grow steadily louder in her ears, till it was like drums.

"Elinana?" Altaïr asked. The drumming stopped, and she looked him in his weary eyes.

"A storm is coming." She leaped to her feet.

"How can you tell?" he fallowed her to the ladder.

"I don't know, I just feel it."

She scurried down ladder, after ladder, fallowed by Altaïr.

Dropping down she paused, and staring at her friends who laughed, off on the other side of the training yard.

"You should say goodbye." Altaïr stated beside her.

"They won't understand," she replied. "Tell them I'm sorry." She ran through the gate and down the path to Altaïr's and Maria's home.

Bursting in, she hurried over to Maria, and threw her arms around her.

"What's the mater dear?" Maria asked, and then eyed Altaïr.

"A storm is coming." She replied.

"Oh," was all Maria could say.

"Thank you," Elinana loosened her hold. "For everything."

Maria smiled, and kissed her forehead. "What Sisters are for."

Hugging one last time she turned to the two sleeping boys. Kneeling beside their bed, she stroked Darim's feathery hair, and kissed his cheek.

"Goodbye, Darim."

Turning to baby Sef, she grinned to his round, face, and his light hum of a snore. Kissing his head, she whispered. "Bye, sweet dumpling."

Rising, she kissed Maria's cheek, said goodbye. And then glanced once more around the place, which was her home for nearly three months. As she stepped out, she immediately kicked off running. Not trusting her self to walk, or look back.

Altaïr watched her go, and then turned to Maria. With a single glance, Maria nodded, and he ran after Elinana.

Elinana ducked into the stables, and grabbed a satchel that held her assassin clothing, boots, and fingerless gloves. And grabbed her kite with a cast-iron key tied to the string.

She petted Hercules's golden sandy muzzle, as Altaïr came up running.

"You aren't changing my mind." She said over her shoulder.

"I know," Altaïr he replied gently. "You shouldn't be alone."

Elinana thought she was all out of tears. But one tickled down her cheek. She whipped it away, and then turned to Altaïr.

"You'll look after him?" her voice breaking.

"As well as you have." He patted Hercules's shoulder.

She nodded, trying to keep from crying.

"He's a good horse."

She nodded again, as silent sobs slipped through her fingers. He poled her close, and wrapped his arms around her.

"I haven't even left and I'm already crying!" she sobbed.

Once she was in control of herself again, they broke apart and waited for the storm.

Not long later, the wind kicked up. Gray clouds rolled in, darkening as the minutes past. Then the rain fell; from light sprinkle, to heavy drupes. And then came the flash of lightning, fallowed by the booming drums of old Thunder.

"Time for me to go." she squeezed his hand, pouching down the pain of a sob.

"Fly home safely," he kissed her forehead. "Little Dove." A sliver of a sob came out in his voice.

She turned to the rain, and ran out holding up her kite behind her. Letting it go its soar into the storming sky. The kite fought her, but she managed to keep it in the sky.

"Hercules!" Altaïr yelled.

Looking back, Elinana saw Hercules trot up to her.

"Hercules!" she whined. "What are you doing? Altaïr stay back!"

Just as she called out, a bolt of lightning struck the kite, and raced down the string to the key, then down to her and the horse.

White hot fire flashed through her, and then she plummeted into darkness.

Altaïr leaped at the boom of thunder as Elinana was struck. He looked to where she once stood, but she and the horse was gone. He searched all around, but saw no sing of her.

He kneeled were she vanished, and sobbed with the rain tapping at his head and back.

Maria paced back and forth, wondering if she should go and see if they where alright. Just as she made up her mind to go out into the storm, Altaïr opened the door and closed it behind him. He was drenched, and she could see the pain in his movement.

"Is she…?" Maria could bring herself to finish.

"Gone, the same way she came." He sat down heavily, and placed his face in his hands.

Days became months. Months became years. And the distant Dove faded.

Sitting in the Assassin's study, hidden away in Constantinople, after studying the Apple, Altaïr turned the pages of his Codex. But stopped abruptly, he gazed down to a small white feather, light, and delicate, hidden in the old yellow pages. Carefully taking it in his hand, he remembered a light laugh, a warm smile, shimmering after storm gray eyes, chestnut hair, and a distant song:

"I miss you

Long to hear you laugh again to kiss you

Let you know that life begins when I'm by your side

Holding you tight

You give me strength to brave it all

Faith and hope when darkness starts to fall…"

A tear flowed from his eye, and fell to the feather.

"All this time," he thought. "You stayed with me. When the painful memories lost their shine, and faded. You left a piece of your grace with me, Elinana Doricent, my dearest Sister."

**I actually cried writing this! I don't own the song, don't own Assassin's Creed. I'm still crying!**


	15. Irish whiskkey

Grass prickled Elinana's face. And wind pouched way her hair. Slowly opening her eyes, she saw a familiar shape. Pouching herself up, she sat on the grass. Clearing her eyes she looked up to her home. Grinning she leaped to her feet, and ran.

"Dad!" she called. "Desmond, I'm home!"

But something suddenly struck her. She was running but she didn't seem to be getting closer. Looking down, the ground moved as she ran but it was as if, if she moved, an extra bit of ground appeared.

She ran around to the back door, but she continued to have the same problem.

"Desmond!" she yelled.

Leaves rattled, and twigs snapped. Leaping around, glowing red eyes peered through the tree line. A deep, threatening, growling, reached her ears. Emerging from trees like shadows, twelve dark wolves stepped forwards. They formed a ring, cutting of her exits.

Her head suddenly felt light, her knees grew weak. They drew closer, as she slowly fell to the ground, unable to fight, or call out.

Her vision grew hazy, as they slowly grew more man like. Their lags grew longer, their teeth shone like daggers, and long claws reached out to her.

She tried to fight, to scream, but her body was like lead, and she could only manage to heave a sigh.

"Dad," her thoughts cried. "Desmond, Altaïr, help."

Tears swelled, and flowed from her eyes. Her home became a ghost, and tall thin, pointed trees steadily appeared.

The horrifying wolves were all around her, touching her face, hair, chest, and lags. Closing her eyes tight, she tried to scream. Tried, to fight, kick, anything.

Suddenly a scream inched out, and filled her ears. It was the only thing she could do, so she didn't stop. When a paw like hand coved her mouth, she bit down heard, and continued to scream.

Suddenly they stopped touching her. Her throat was sore from screaming. And she steadily opened her eyes. Through blared vision, she saw a golden eagle fighting off the wolves.

Darkness engulfed her, but then a warm and gentle hand touched her face. Through half opened eyes, she saw a white hooded man, looking down to her.

He asked something, but she didn't know the language. Then darkness took her again, in its arms.

Desmond whipped down the redwood bar when a customer left. Old rock played in the background, mingled with the mixed chatter of people.

"Desmond!" called Rick, who just arrived from a day of work. "How is Sara treating you?" Rick took a stool, and leaned forward on the bar with his elbows.

"She's a hard woman," Desmond cleaned a glass shot. "But she's treating me fine." he smiled. "What would it be?"

"Irish whiskey, and keep it coming."

Not long later, Rick was drunk as a sailor, and howled with laughter.

"You should have seen the way Anne looked at me when we turned up at the door, covered in mod!"

"What did she do?" laughed Desmond.

"Went easy on Elin, of course, but just about bit my head off!" Rick thundered. "That woman was a pistil, and it rubbed off on Elin!" His laughter steadily morphed to sobs. "Elin may not have been ours, but she became ours the moment we held her. When Anne died, Elin was what kept me moving, now she's who knows where."

Sara, a slight, shorter then average woman, with black hire and eyes, patted Rick on the back.

"Elinana will tern up soon, you'll see. She's a clever girl, you know." She turned to Desmond. "Why don't you take him home? I'll close up."

"Okay," he took off the towel from his shoulder, and walked around the bar to Rick. "Come on, let's get you home."

It wasn't an easy mater, Rick could only think of his lose. And Desmond hade to practically carry him to the car, and he weighed like a Bear.

After laboring Rick out of the car, and through the house, Desmond finally placed him on his bed.

Desmond removed Rick's shoes, and covered him with a blanket. Sighing, Desmond patted Rick's back then made for the doorway.

"Were is my baby?" Rick pleaded so faintly, Desmond just barely understood.

"I whish I knew," Desmond walked down to the basement, and crashed out on the sofa.

"I whish I knew."

**I know its sort, but I wanted a fresh chapter for Elinana. And Say what you like, or dislike, or any q's (which are a 50, 50 chance of a strait answer.) **


	16. Bleeding Heart

**For canonman89, who I think has been looking forward to a new, familiar face. And to SerenityMoonlight, who has been giving me positive feedback.**

**Thank you! **

Sunlight corseted Elinana's cheek, and lips. Her body blanketed in warmth, and melted on the cloud like pillows, and matrices. She groaned in pleaser, and turned to her side, poling the blanket with her. A gentle hand stroked her head, and down her hair.

"Maria?" she hummed, sleepily.

A warm, voice replied in a musical language that she didn't understand. Slowly opening her eyes she looked up to a lovely middle aged woman. Her long, dark chocolate hair was lightly touched by gray, and her eyes where a warm, and a deep shade of brown.

"Who…?" Elinana murmured, and pouched her self up. "Where am I?"

"You're English," the woman pointed out. "But your accent is strange."

"That's not the only thing about me that you'll find strange." Elinana replied. "But where am I?"

"Roma."

"Roma?" her thoughts worked like gears. "Rome."

"What is the year?" she asked.

"Year?"

"Yes the year."

"1504."

Elinana stared in shook, at the woman. "1504," she thought. "I'm off by hundreds of years… Altaïr, Maria, Darim, Sef. They're dead." She fought the tears and a sob that clawing at her throat. "They're dead…"

"Do you feel ill, my dear?" the woman asked.

Off in the streets below, a ruckus could be heard, and a whinny of a horse.

"I know that whinny." Elinana threw the blankets away, and leaped out of the bed and darted for the door. She flow past men and woman, down a staircase, and burst out in to the streets.

Darting past people she ran into the heart of the commotion. And there was Hercules, dancing in defiance of the man.

"Hay!" she ran up to the man. "Let him go!"

He yelled something to her, but she didn't know what.

"Let him go." she ordered darkly.

The man pouched her, but she grabbed his hand, and twisted it behind his back. Kicking the man, he stumbled forward and fell to the cobblestone ground.

Turning to Hercules, he nudged her with his nose. And she petted his neck.

"You stupid, smart, wonderful boy." she buried her face in his sandy gold mane.

The man grabbed her wrist, and polled her away from Hercules.

"Let me go!" she stomped on his feet, but it didn't faze him. She tried bringing her knee up between his lags, but he dodged her attack.

Out of nowhere a man in white and crimson, freed her from the man's hold. Steeping back she watched the stranger beet the man. Soon the man from what she saw begged for mercy. The stranger said something, and the man scurried away.

He turned to her, and asked: "did he harm you?" his voice was deep, warm, and musicale from his native language.

"I'll live," she rubbed her sore writs. "Thank you."

He polled off his cape and draped it over her shoulders. Looking down she only just noticed that she was wearing a white nightgown.

She polled the cape close around her, face growing red. That was when she noticed the Assassin insignia over his crimson sash.

"Oh child." The woman from the room, approached. "What in haven's name were you thinking, running out into the street in your nightgown?"

"I wasn't about to let anything happen to Hercules." she snuggled in his neck.

"He is yours then?" the man in white patted Hercules.

"No, he's my friend."

"Well friend or not, come back inside." Commanded the woman; reminding her of her own mother.

"You better do what she says; my mother has a quick temper." He murmured near her ear.

"Your mother?" she toured to the hooded stranger.

"Yes, my mother, Maria Auditore de Firenze. You may call me Ezio." He bowed.

"Elinana Doricent." she curtsied.

"Son," Maria ordered, as she led Elinana back to the stone structure. "Take 'Hercules' to the stables, and tend to him, while I look after Miss Doricent."

Ezio watched his mother guide the girl back to the Brothel; he turned to Hercules, and spoke in his own language to him.

"Come," he started to lead the horse in the direction of the nearest stable. "Your girl is in good hands."

Hercules huffed. Ezio didn't know if the horse was disapproving, or not.

As Maria led her up the stairs, she noticed a number of women and men hooking up.

"Maria," she timidly asked. "What is this place?"

"A Brothel,"

Elinana stopped dead in her tracks. "A…broth…" she looked around, as if the men would suddenly advance on her.

"Don't worry, no man has, or will touch you." Maria wrapped her arm across the back of her waist, and led her forward. But she still eyed every man she saw.

She relaxed a bit when the door to the room that she hade woke up in, was closed behind her. Elinana started to poll of the cape Ezio had given her, but the door opened and a man in a black robe with a beak like mask, and leather bag stepped in. Fallowed by a young woman.

Elinana stepped behind Maria, and gazed at the man.

The man said something in Italian, and Maria replied. The only thing she could gather was, the Italian word for English, and that they where talking about her.

"How are you faring, young lady?" he struggled slightly with his English. "Fine, thank you. Who are you?"

"I am a Dottore."

Elinana looked to Maria.

"A Doctor." She translated.

"May I examine you to be sure?" he asked.

"What for? I'm fine."

"My Brother found you screaming, while you where attacked by the Followers of Romulus." The young woman stated.

"You mean the wolf men?" asked Elinana. "You would too!"

"That still doesn't explain the stat you where in when Master Ezio Auditore found you." The Doctor pointed out.

They where getting too close to a topic she didn't want to talk about, at least not this time around. For some reason she didn't understand.

"Okay, you may examine me, but to a point." She removed the cape, and fallowed him to a desk, that stood under a window that overlooked a river, and the countryside.

Placing his bag on the desk, and then turned to her. He checked her mouth, eyes, and pulse.

"Have you eaten today?" he asked through the mask.

"No."

He brushed away the hair from her left temple. "What happened here?"

She fought the remarries that came flooding back. Set clawing her arms, the rock, the shine of a sword, and white and crimson.

"No," she thought. "Don't do it girl, stay focused."

"Some jerk with a rock," it wasn't a lie, she just didn't elaborate farther. "It's nothing."

"What about your back?" Ezio's sister asked.

"Your back?" the doctor asked.

She sighed, "Their three months old."

"May I?"

Sighing again, she was thankful that her underwear hadn't been taken as well. She turned around, and polled up the nightgown, but still covered her front.

"Who did this?" the Doctor asked, running his finger along one of the scars.

Again she fought the memories of Abbas's relentless touchier. "A man that was looking for something he thought I had." She polled the gown back over her.

"Will that be all, Doctor?" Elinana asked, once she turned to him.

"Yes," he grabbed his bag from the desk. "You are in good health, despite the certain events of which you've been through." He turned to Maria, and spoke in Italian.

Maria nodded, and led the way to the door, and ordered her daughter something.

"Rest, young Lady, is the only thing I wish you to do. And eat when you so desire." he bowed, said an Italian farewell, and left.

Elinana stood in silence, feeling utterly alone. As if she was on a small island in the middle of a vast sea. Or trapped in a tall tower, far from civilian.

Suddenly the pain of losing Altaïr, Maria, Darim, and Sef came crashing down on her. She tried pouching the pain down, but it was too strong, too painful. Especially the emptiness that once was filled by Altaïr.

Tears leaked through her closed eyes, and sobs clawed at her throat as she sat in the bed, and hugged her lags.

Some time later, Ezio balanced two plates of eggs, fried ham, and some blueberry cream biscuits up to the room that they let Elinana use. He slowed as he neared the door. Silently opening the door he saw Elinana quietly sobbing in her knees.

She didn't hear him slip in, and set the food on the desk. Polling off his hood, he soundlessly approached her. She jumped and gave a small gasp when he sat next to her.

"Ezio," she sniffed, and pawed at her tears that still lightly flowed. "What is it?"

"I brought you some breakfast. But why are you crying?" he asked warmly, and gently.

"Nothing I just… just got something in my eye." she knew her excuse was pathetic, but she could never think well when ever she cries.

But he understood what type of tears she cried, the tears of loss, and emptiness. If it had been another person instead on him, who had found her like this, they would have seen a fallen angle.

But Ezio knew better, he saw a lost girl that has known, and never known love. Who has tasted the bitterness of the world, and walked away with only scars, a girl, entering a grown up world.

He placed is warm hand on her shoulder.

"Is this your first time in Roma?" he asked.

She sniffled, and whipped away another tear. "Yes."

"After you have eaten, and pot on something more presentable," he rose, got the plates of food, and handed one to her.

"Would you feel up to a tour?"

The shadow of pain, and sorrow lightened from her face. "Yeah," she took the plate and went for the blueberry biscuit first.

"That would be nice."

She ate in silence, but Ezio ate a little faster and not so quietly. He finished by the time she ate her bisect. Looking over to Ezio, he had a bit of egg in the whiskers of his chin.

She smiled, and giggled, but the giggle never escaped her lips.

"What?" he asked, a bit lost.

"You have a bit of egg here." She guided him by tapping her chine.

He rubbed is chine, causing the bit of egg to fall.

"You got it." she turned to her eggs and ham, and the smile faded.

He got up, placed the empty plate on the desk then sat next Elinana again. But he polled his hood back up, and flopped backward.

"Don't mind me." He polled his hood over is eyes.

A slight smile touched her lips, and she turned back to her food.

Once done, she placed her empty plate on Ezio's. Speaking of which, he lightly snored, reclined on the bed.

She leaned on the desk, and gazed out to the countryside. Her heart felt heavy, as she thought of her distant Father. Elinana may have been one step closer to home, but she started to see a long road before her, one that seemed to grow, and stretch, far off into the horizon.

**Up next, the truth comes out! But, will he believe her? Will she open up again, or will fear compel her to lock her heart forever? Find out, soon! (In a day or two) **

**Again, what do you like, dislike, or have a Q. Remember, I don't hand out spoilers! But I think I just did with that up there^. **


	17. When in Rome

"Are you certain you feel up to going around the city?" Maria asked, as they walked down the staircase.

"Yes," Elinana replied, trying to ignore the men and women around her. "Being under the sky will be better for me, then under a blanket."

Maria gave a small laugh. "Ezio could never stay still either."

Polling open the front door, they stepped out into the streets. The Sun hanged high in the light blue sky. And gigantic white, and light gray clouds, flouted high, over the rooftops.

As Ezio guided Hercules and ginger mare he likes to call Kicker, he took in Elinana's indigo gown, with plum purple designs, lined with a dusty sky blue color that matched her under skirt and corset, making her after storm gray, eyes, bloom. And her chestnut hair was braded, and pined in a ring.

He stopped before his Mother and Elinana, and bow. "Buon pomeriggio, le mie belle signore."

Elinana looked to Maria. Seeing her confusion, Maria translated. "He's bidding us a good afternoon."

"You forgot 'my lovely Ladies.'" He kissed his Mother's cheeks.

"I'm not a 'Lady.'" Elinana stated as she walked by Ezio.

He attempted to help Elinana mount Hercules, but she polled herself up before he could lend a hand. Taking the reins with her leather, gloved hands, she watched Ezio mount Kicker.

"Now," Maria addressed them both. "If you start feeling ill, or weary, _you_," she turned to Ezio. "Take her back, start way."

"Come si desidera." He replied. As you wish.

Maria turned to Elinana. "I know you feel a little uneasy here, but you can trust Ezio. He's a gentleman, and a skilled fighter."

Elinana nodded; "Thank you."

She turned to Ezio, as Maria headed back to the Brothel.

"Where would you like to go?" he asked, lightly smiling at her.

"The Colosseum." She replied quickly, without thinking.

"Il Colosseo it is then!"

He led the way through the bustling streets of people going about their business. Tailors, Blacksmiths, and black robed Doctors called out, trying to wheel customers in. A small group of gourds in glistening sliver armor, and scarlet clothing, walked by. And one smiled at her in a way that made her steer Hercules closer to Ezio and Kicker.

"May I ask where you are from?" he asked, with his musical Italian accent.

She tried to recall the history material she learned from the local High School. But she couldn't remember when America was discovered, either it has, or hasn't, that much she was sure.

"I can't say for sure," she never was good at lying, but for once she wished that she could weave a _decent_ lie. "I've never stayed in one place for too long. Even as a child, I've been moving from one place to another."

"Eccezionale!" he proclaimed. "The things you must have seen and your vocabulary!"

"Actually, I never got to learn the languages," less then half of that was truth. "I never stayed long enough to learn any."

"Your English is good." He pointed out.

"Yes, because my Mother and Father spoke it."

"They must be missing you."

She gazed of in her own mind; "Dad," she thought. "He is, but…he hasn't even been born yet."

"If you look at it, that way." she murmured.

He looking to her, and the shadow of loss that veiled her face was clear to him.

"Do you have a Sister, or a Brother, perhaps?"

She fought the memories that came like blow from above.

"Not anymore, and let's just leave it at…" Hercules carried her out before the foot of Capitoline Hill. She gazed in wonder; up the stony waving path, sat Campidoglio, like the head of a giant.

"That." She murmured in wonder.

Ezio lead the way up the waving path. At the top, stood two, stone horses, frozen in mid dance. As they passed the stone statue, in the center of Courtyard, Ezio turned to her.

"Before we continue farther," he dismounted, and approached to her side. "I want to show you something."

She allowed him to help her down, taking her hand he lead her to a flight of stone stairs. As they climbed the steps, broken columns of and ancient world, rose before her. He watched her look in wonder at the ancient columns, and touched them with her elegant, ungloved fingers. But what he was waiting for, happened when she gazed out over the stone rail, beyond the rooftops, past the thin stretch of grass and winding roads, stood the ruins of the Colosseum.

He approached her from behind, and spook warmly near her ear. "Want a closer look?" She nodded, too lost in amazement to speck. Letting him guide her back, they mounted, and continued on.

They followed the stone staircase that zig-zaged down to the cobblestone road. Her eyes shimmered in wonder as he led her under the Arch of Septimius Serverus.

Under the shadow of the Colosseum, Ezio helped her dismount and watched her wander in the skeleton of an ancient world.

For the first time, he saw her pain lift away, like feathers in the wind. Beneath the brittle shell of pain, lied a white Dove, young and full of life. And her innocents, still locked safely away.

He crossed the heart of the Colosseum, to a wood door. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Elinana gaze up to the bowl like, ruin walls. Making a quick movement with his wrist and hand, he triggered his hidden blade. Sliding the end of the blade in the keyhole, he twisted it this way and that, but it didn't seem to be working. Letting the blade slid back, he made a firm stance, and then slammed his shoulder into the door. The echo of him chasing into the door, carried more then would have liked, but at least the door was open.

"Ezio," Elinana asked from behind him. "What are you doing?"

He turned to her, and offered his hand. "Would you like to find out?"

She heisted, but then took his hand. He guided her into the dark stairwell, with the only source of light, behind them. Every steep they took, brought them deeper in the pitch black embrace of darkness.

Elinana tried to make out Ezio, but even with his white assassin robes, she couldn't distinguish him from the darkness. If it wasn't for him gently holing her hand, and the clapping echo of his boots meeting the stone, she would have thought she was alone in the ever upward clime.

"How far does this go?" the echo made her voice sound a little louder then it really was.

"Here." His voice echoed down into the darkness behind them, as he let her hand go.

Little did she know, he had stopped, and prepared to break the door open, the same way as before. Just as he moved to slam his shoulder into the door, she walked in his path. If not for his fast reaction, he would have slammed into her and the door. But instead, just as he felt her, he wrapped his arms around her, and spun, so that he slammed into the door with his back.

All Elinana could gather from the split seconds, was spinning in darkness, then falling in blinding light. Shaking off her surprise, and adjusting to being back in sun light, she looked up to see Ezio under her.

She quickly shook off his arms, and scurried off and away from him. But he just rose as if it was no big deal.

"Are you alright?" he asked normally, while brushing of dust, and dirt.

"Yes." She replied, flustered with flamed cheeks. But with one glace past Ezio's side, her breath flowed from her lips.

She stood on the edge of the second lowest rime of the bowl like ruins. She tried to imagine what it would have looked like in the time of Alexander the Great, or Caesar. But she couldn't, and to be frank, she didn't want to travel to that time, no mater how curious she was.

And as she looked out over the ruins, she wondered if this was all a dream, and _if_ she was in the hospital, with her father sitting by her side, waiting for her to wakeup.

"No," she thought. "My scares on my back and heart are real. And the pain…" she stopped her train of thoughts.

"Is the view to your liking?" Ezio inquired."

"More then that, actually," she gazed down to the ruins. "I was just wondering what it would have been like, when gladiators fought a manure of beasts. And the old tales of monsters such as the Minotaur, the Gorgon named Medusa, and Hydras."

"Tales of monsters, and heroes saving the far madden, are but _that_ to me, tales." He sat on a low wall. "The only monsters that exist, lies in the heart every man and woman."

"Including me?"

"Yes, but!" he lifted a finger. "You won't be because; your heart won't let that happen."

"And how is it you know me so well?"

"Your eyes,"

She smiled lightly, and knew he was talking about the old saying, "the eyes or the windows to the soul."

Elinana opened her mouth to reply, but a horrible screeching wail scratched at her and Ezio's ears.

He muttered a curse in Italian, and cringed to the sound. "Sounds like a Minstrel, torturing a cat!"

Ezio rose to his feet and searched for the sours of the agenizing sound, fallowed by Elinana who knew what was making the sound.

Rounding a corner, they found a dead drunk Minstrel, _trying_ – being the word— to play the violin. **(Yes they had them then.)**

Ezio throw a coin to the Minstrel, but he continued to _play_. He was close to snarling, but Elinana approached the Minstrel, and snatched the violin and bow.

"Let me show you how it's done."

She tweaked the strings, tested it, and then tweaked them again. Then beautiful and sad music filled the air. He had never heard a melody like it before, but she played it with a passion that flowed, and curled like a summer wind.

People drew closer to hear the melody. But Elinana didn't notice. She was embraced in an old memory, one that was lighted by her mother.

When the melody ended, she returned to reality, greeted by applause. Face reddening, she handed the violin back to the spell bound, drunken Minstrel. Then she ran back to the dark stairwell.

Before she knew it she was back at the base of the maze like ruins. She hardly noticed Ezio saying her name, all she knew was her shivering body, heart pounding, and a sea of staring faces, of an old memory.

"Olly olly oxen free!" she called out, her voice echoing in the ruins.

Hercules emerged through the ruins, and trotted up to her. Polling her self up onto his back, he trotted to the nearest exit. Once free of the ruins, Hercules started to gallop steadily.

Soon Hercules stopped on a hill, under a tree that reached its branches over them both. She leaned forward and hugged his muscular neck. Not long later, she stopped shivering, her heart returned to normal, and the memories faded back deep in her mind.

"Ciao signorina,"

Elinana bolted up right, and Hercules made a deep sound in his throat, like a growl. And from some ruins just in front of her, emerged three men, with bandanas tied over their faces.

"Scommetto che hai belle per noi."

"Okay," she said to the horse. "Let's go find our Assassin friend."

Just as Hercules moved back word, a hand grabbed her wrist. Looking down she saw that more had come up he hind her.

"Bastardi!" roared Ezio, who rode in full gallop on the scene. He leaped off Kicker, and onto the one thief that griped her wrist. He rose from the motionless body, and eyed the other thieves darkly, daring them to make the first move.

One vary foolish thief took the dare, and lunged for Ezio. Ezio grabbed the outstretched hand, and twisted the thief's arm behind his back in lightning fast movements. Elinana didn't see him do it, but she knew Ezio stabbed the thief. With his back to the thieves, they took the opportunity to attack.

"Behind you!" Elinana yelled.

He spun around, drawing his sword that blocked the blow of one of the knives. But the other cut across his bicep as he danced away.

She watched Ezio dance with deadly grace, and power, she couldn't help but remember Altaïr.

Drown to the movement at the corner of her eye; she saw one of the thieves, trying to get a clear shat at Ezio with a throwing knife.

Without thinking she turned Hercules in the thief's direction, and gently taped her heels on his side. His muscles sprung forward with deadly force. She loosed her foot from the stirrup. As Hercules galloped by Elinana kicked the thief in the face, and he did a pirouette before falling to the ground.

The last thief looked around, seeing that his friends where either knocked out, or dead. He dropped his knife and fled, yelping and whimpering.

Hercules walked up to Ezio, and nudged his good arm with his nose.

"He likes you." She pointed out, as Ezio patted Hercules's nose.

"Glad to hear that," he turned to Elinana. "Did they harm you?"

"No, but one of them did hurt you."

Ezio looked down to his arm, and grabbed a vile from one of his pouches.

"What's that?" she asked.

"medicine." He replied, rising it to his lips.

Elinana quickly leaned down and placed her fingers over the opening.

"Got it from one of those bird masked, fellows?" she asked, resaving a slightly annoyed look from Ezio.

"Yes, as a mater of fact I did."

"Yea, you shouldn't put so much faith in those bird faced dudes."

"Dudes?" he asked in confusion.

"men." She sighed.

"And you put too _little_ faith in them."

"When people start believing the world is _not_ flat."

"Then start giving them more credit."

"Get on your horse, and take me to a place where I can fix you up _properly_!" she grumbled, sitting up strait.

He smirked under the cover of his hood, and whistled for Kicker. She trotted to him, still munching on grass. Mounting the ginger mare, he led the way to a friend of his, who lived not to far from where they are.

After fallowing Ezio through the rolling land, he led the way up to a barrack. Its tall stone walls, stood strong. And the gate's mouth welcomed them with sharp wood teeth.

The clap of Hercules's and Kicker's hooves echoed the cobblestone courtyard. Men with various weapons fought on another, and practice dummies in the far corner.

Guiding their horses to a trough, they dismounted, and then approached the heart of the barrack. A stone structure, with aqua tapestries hanging over the arch entrance.

Pushing open the door, Ezio slightly bowed, and gestured her for her to enter first. Her ears were greeted by muffled yelling, and cheering.

"What in P.B. and J. is that ruckus?" Elinana asked.

"The men's fighting club," replied a woman, who emerged from another room.

"Buona giornata, Pantasilea!" Ezio bowed. "This is Elinana Doricent."

"Ah!" the woman proclaimed. "You're the young lady Ezio recued the other night."

"I see gossip hasn't last its speed."

Pantasilea giggled. "Infatti!" she then noticed Ezio's arm. "Ezio, why haven't you seen a Doctor yet?"

"She needed some tools that you could provide, if you would?" Ezio replied.

She sized Elinana up, "you are a healer?"

"I know enough to get by."

"What is it you need?"

"I'll need clean rages, boiled water with Garlic, Onions, or Oregano. All three would be preferred, but it's not necessary."

"I'll see what I can find." She disappeared back into the other room.

Elinana tuned to Ezio, and blushed. "Ezio," she hesitated. "You… I need you to…," she cleared her throat.

"Remove my clothes." He flinched for her.

"Just your robes, so that I can get to your sleeve!" she stated quickly, her face and ears glowing like strawberries.

"As you command, Poco Colomba." He stepped up to the table, which was before a blazing hearth.

"Porky what?"

"Poco Colomba," he repeated slowly, tacking of his weapons. "It means 'Little Dove.'"

"_Little Dove…"_ Altair's voice echoed in her memories. "No, girl!" she ordered herself inwardly. "Don't go down that path, not now!"

As Ezio worked on caking off his robes, Elinana uneasily, fallowed the sound of yells, and cheering. Creping carefully, she saw a large square room, dimly lit only by a few torches on the walls, and a large ring of men, yelling, cheering, and some booed. In the ring, was six men going head to head with one another.

Biting the inside of her lip, she backed away. A warm, large man hand, touched her shoulder, making jump out of her skin, and give a small yelp. Turning around, she saw Ezio with his hand's raised and shirt less.

"Don't sneak up on me like that!" she whispered loudly. "And where is your shirt?"

"The water will take a bit till it is boiling, so might as well pass the time with some friends."

"You mean fight." She stated. "With that arm?" she gestured to his bicep that didn't look deep, but she still didn't intend to let him go around with it unattended.

"I have you to patch me up, remember."

He passed her, and strolled down. She fallowed him, attempting to change his mind. But once a large Italian clapped Ezio on the shoulder, she froze. The men turned to the name of Ezio, but once they saw her, soon the room grew with whispers and mummers, with a whistle here and here.

The large Italian called out to the gawking men, then they retuned to the fighting. But some sneaked a glance at her, occasionally.

"I'll just leave you to it." she said slowly, creeping back to the stairs.

"You don't want to watch?" called Ezio.

"Maybe another day." She replied, and retreaded.

Elinana sat by the fire monitoring the pot of garlic, and oregano. It wasn't on the fire but it was near enough to be hot, but not scolding.

"So," Pantasilea sat across from her, sipping tea. "Where did you learn Healing?"

Elinana hesitated, and then opened her mouth just as Ezio emerged from the basement. On the opposite side from his old scar, was a small red gash, and his bicep was bloodier then she last saw it. He wasn't in bad shape, and he gave her a worm smile.

"Are you done down there?" she asked.

"Yes." He approached.

"Well," Pantasilea rose. "I see I'm not needed." She left Elinana to her work.

Ezio took Pantasilea's seat, and Elinana started with his arm.

As she cleaned the blood and sweat away, he asked; "Where _did_ you learn to Heal?"

"Healing can't be learned; it's like the heart, it comes naturally on its own when you're hurt."

"Not that 'healing,'"

"From school…" she mentally slapped herself.

"I though you never stayed long enough to learn even the language."

"What I meant, was that Dad learned it from school, and I learned it from him."

He nodded, as she wrapped the bandage around his bicep. Then she turned to his lip.

"I'm sorry about the thieves."

"It's not the first time I saw death."

She saw his puzzle meant.

"My brother was an Assassin," she informed without really meaning to.

"Was your father an Assassin as well?"

"No and neither was Mother."

"Then who was his mentor?"

"I don't know, he left when I was little. Then not that long ago he came back, and taught me the basics, _not_ including weaponry though."

She looked at his lip, it wasn't bleeding any more, and she cleaned it the best she could.

"There, but I think it best that you let me tend to your arm again tomorrow."

"As you command," he said warmly, and rose.

After he dressed back into his robes, they said Farwell, and thanked Pantasilea.

"Where would you like to go now?" he asked, as Hercules and Kicker fallowed the road.

"The place that you found me," she didn't look at him. "Please."

He nodded, and then led her to the north corner of the city.

Ezio dismounted and stood in the middle of a harvested grain field. "Here,"

She dismounted, then paned a 3-60. Caught in a tall pointed tree, was what remained of her kite. It wasn't black, as she thought it would be, but it was torn to sheds from the storm. She salvaged the only thing that she used as a conductor; the cast-iron key.

"What happened to your family?"

She couldn't stop the sob that slipped from her lips. And she didn't try to stop it.

"I can't, I can do it any more!"

"Do what?" he gently grabbed her shoulders.

"Lie to you," she sobbed. "I never traveled around the world; I grew up in America, in North Dakota my entire life!"

"How can that be?" he asked. "It was only discovered some years ago."

"Because I'm from the 21st century." Tears ran from her eyes. And he just stared in confusion and wonder at her.

"I don't understand how exactly I can time travel; all I know is that I get struck by lightning, and I wake up in a different time and place."

Fear swelled and stretched its roots into every corner of her being, as she saw him just star at her.

She broke away from him, and marched away.

"Why?" she asked to on one. "Why is it so heard this time? Why am I so afraid?"

"You don't have to be," Ezio gently, but firmly took her hand. "Not of me."

She turned to him, tears glistening in the light of the setting sun, lighting her chestnut hair aflame.

He reached a hand to her wet cheek, and whipped away her salty tears. She sobbed in her hand, not out of sorrow, but of relief.

He polled her closer, and wrapped his arms around her.

"Why?" she asked.

"I've seen my fare share of strange things." replied warmly. "But a girl from the future is by far the best one that I've seen."

**Finally! It toke me ages to write this one, and I some more ideas, but then it would have taken longer! If you want to know the melody she played, it was Lindsey Stirling's 'Take Flight.' Yes I know wrong time, but this is FanFic. You can bend some things! **

**Again, what do you like and or dislike, point at something, or have a q, (50/50 chance at strait answer. **

**And one more thing, Sep 8, I will be back in school. (Last year!) So I'll be devoted to staying on top of things. But I will **_**try**_** to give you chapters; it's just that they will take time. **

**You have been warned! I'll be sure to have fun storming the Castle!**

**(Man, I'm nerdy) **

**P.S. longest chapter yet, of 3,875 words, and 8 pages!** :O


	18. Birthday Surprise

**Warning! **

**Chapter contains bad words (a usual Ezio thing). And a reference kids under 13, shouldn't read! **

**And I should have placed a warning on the last one. **

**If you played the game, you know how Ezio is! **

**At least it's in Italian…**

**I'll shut up now… **

I know it could be dangerous to keep a journal in my particular position. But if I don't make it home, then maybe this can.

As a recap, my name is Elinana Cleo Doricent, and I'm from the 21st century, in the 16th century. My first lightning strike sent me to the Crusades, where I found out about a secret feud between Assassins and Templers. It was there that I came to love a small family that took me in, unconditionally. It was the first time that I ever felt what it was like to have a brother and sister. And it felt worse then dyeing, leaving them, and I'm and old friend of Death.

My second strike didn't take me home, but I'm one step closer all the same. Now I'm in the Renaissance, where I came across more Assassins, in the city of Rome. I was hesitant, and afraid of opening up again, but like Mom says; "Life may give, and take, but in the end, it's what makes you, you."

She may not have given birth to me, but she sure was the _real_ deal and Dad too. Man I wish Desmond I could contact me, but the last time I was there in the dream thing, I couldn't even touch home.

But the only one that I shared my secret with, so far, is Ezio; a Master Assassin. He understands me the way Altair did. And he's my best translator.

Just today, we went to a bookshop, and got this journal and the first book that I've seen, literally in ages. That is in English! The book was 'A Healers guide to Hubris.' It is very interesting, considering I preferred Fantasy and Science Fiction, to science books.

A girl couldn't ask for better birthday gifts.

After I told Ezio the truth, instead of going back to the Brothel, he took me to the Assassin's Hideout, which I like to call the 'Eagles's Nest.'

I really do like the Nest, but I feel like, an outsider. And to top it off, Ezio, his Mother and Sister and a thief assassin by the name of La Volpe are the only Assassins that speak English, so, large language barrier going on here.

Looking around me, I see the ruins of an ancient world. And I can't help but wonder, if this all a dream. But then I remember love, loss, and physical pain. Something like this can't be a dream.

"What are you writing?"

Elinana jumped out of her skin, and made a blind swing. A warm, large, hand caught her fist.

"Sorry I startled you, Poco Colomba." Ezio smiled warmly, and sat next to her on the stone bench.

"No your not!" she retorted.

Ezio boomed with laughter. It was warm, and deep, which reminded her somewhat of Desmond.

She lightly smiled, and shook her head, then placed her quill in the small, circular ink bottle, by her side.

"Where you writing about some sweat heart of yours?" He smiled, teasing her. Not in mockery, but in a brotherly way, (An annoying way.)

"No," she replied. "Well, I once—what you would call—been Courted. But one night when we where going to meet, he didn't show. So I went looking for him, and found him…" she hesitated, trying to think of the appropriate word.

"Doing the, you-know-what, with the caption of the cheerleading squad."

"Quel bastardo!" Ezio spat. "If I was there, I would have hanged him by his toe nails, from the tallest tower in Firenze!"

She giggled inwardly, with her hand just barley covering her smile.

"Ezio," she tried to keep from lighting. "I really couldn't care less about him!"

"Still, no man should betray a Lady like you."

Elinana rolled her eyes. "Why do you insist on call me a Lady?"

"Because I know it annoys you!" he grinned.

Smiling, she lightly hit the top of his hooded head, with her leather journal. She knew she had just poked a tiger, so she slide way, ready to bolt.

Ezio, smiled, and shook his head. "Carful," he warned. "I got you that book; I can just as easily take it."

She got to her feet, and backed away. "Maybe," she backed to where Hercules ate grass. Ezio approached his smile just visible from under is hood.

"But you have to catch me first!" she leaped up on Hercules's back, and he kicked off in a gallop. The world passed by in a blear, looking over her shoulder, she saw Ezio on Kicker already, chasing after her.

Elinana's chestnut hair danced like ribbons on the racing air. The skirt of her simple, dusty blue dress, flapped behind her lags, flashing her boots that formed nicely to her lags, and feet.

She didn't know where she was going, but she didn't care.

Hercules galloped up the stone stairs of Palatine Hill. Leaping from his back, she darted into the maze like ruins.

She ran with light steps, glancing over her shoulder constantly.

"You can run," Ezio called out, in a playful brotherly manner. "But you can't hide!"

As she heard him, she came upon an entrance to and underground passage. Taking his challenge, she ran into the underground maze.

Torches illuminated the maze like halls, with golden light. She ran deeper and deeper into the maze, clutching to her journal.

Elinana stopped to catch her breath, and leaned against, the cold stone wall. She panted with glee, but it faded as she tried to get her bearings. Looking down all four of the halls, she couldn't tell which way she came, or which way was out. Turning in a circle, her eyes landed a black shadow that stood just out of the torch light, on the other side of a long hallway.

She froze, still, as a porcelain doll. The only indication that she hadn't turned to stone, was her heart; it pounded against her ribs, and ranged in her ears.

The shadow tilled its hooded head slightly, and inched his a foot forward. But stopped, and then melted into the shadows.

She suddenly felt vary warm, and dizzy. She uneasily waddled to the wall, as her head felt light. The hallways blurred, and her stomach felt as if butterflies fluttered inside it.

A warm, muscular, arm suddenly wrapped around her. She yelped, and swung her journal blandly behind her. But he caught her swing, and snatched the journal from her hand.

"As I said," Ezio stated, warmly in her ear. "You can't hide from me, Poco Colomba."

"Ez—" she breathed, and then darkness consumed her vision.

"_Elinana,"_ Ezio's worm, musical, voice lightly called to her in the darkness.

"_Ezio?"_ she murmured, struggling against the darkness, as if it was over grown weeds. 

Her eyes fluttered lazily open, to see Ezio kneeling under the shadow of the ruins, supporting her with his arm.

"Easy, Poco Colomba." He said warmly, and gently.

She closed her eyes, and sighted. "I really hate fainting." She murmured.

"So this is a normal thing for you?" he asked. Hiding the fact that he had panicked slightly when she went limp in his arms, down in the underground maze.

"It was sort of a normal thing for me, after I got shots." She replied, just letting him support her.

"Where?" he asked, looking her over for blood.

"Not that 'shot,'" she grumbled. "A syringe shot."

"Ah," he tiled his head, in a nod. "That's understandable."

She giggled.

"Funny," he puzzled. "I didn't see any Doctors down there."

"Because this time it was different," she half opened her eyes. "I might have seen a ghost."

"I thought you didn't believe in such things."

"Not if it _could_ have been someone that nearly killed you in the past."

She told the story of her nearly dying after Abbas's interrogation, the monks that looked after her, then her escape with Altaïr and Maria. Then the encounter with the man that nearly became her murderer.

"After all of that Altaïr _never_ taught you how to protect yourself?" he asked, with some resentment toward Altaïr.

"He did, it's just," she carefully sat up, but still used Ezio as support. "Not with weapons."

He shook his head. "I couldn't disagree more with your old brother. You need something more to help you to survive."

"Ezio, he was just trying to save my innocence."

"That's not good enough."

Anger steadily grew in her. She weakly rose to her feet, and her knees trembled under her. Ezio tried to steady her, but she weakly pouched at his chest.

"Don't talk about Altaïr that way." she growled. "All he was trying to do was protect me! And he _did,_ offer to teach me how to weald a blade! I just refused!"

"Forgive me," he apologized. "I meant no offence. I just think a young woman should know how to use blade. And after all, you are a sister to our Brotherhood. You will be a target in the eyes of Templers, and a number of men who would have their way with you."

"I know," she murmured. "I know well enough, Brother."

She didn't notice her own word, but Ezio smiled at the title.

"You never did tell me what you wrote in your journal." He led her to a stone bench.

Sitting on the cool, stone bench, next to Elinana, Ezio polled her journal out from under his sash, at his back, and held it out to her.

"Go ahead, if you really want to read it." she leaned back agents the stone ruins, waiting for the questions that are sure to come.

"Desmond," Ezio murmured. "You know Desmond?"

"How do you know him?" she asked with her eyebrows meeting.

He told her about his first time in Rome. About the Vault, Minerva, and the name she mentioned.

"It must be a coincident," Elinana's confusion showed on her face and voice. "It can't be the _same,_ Desmond."

"Elinana," Ezio murmured. "We've _both_ seen our share of strange things. Is Desmond any different?"

She sighed, and leaned on her knees. "I don't know. Everything just seems too…out there."

"How is it you know him?" Ezio asked.

She tried her best at explaining her dreams that seemed to break the laws of time. And how the night he found her, she couldn't touch home.

"How did we get mixed up in such craziness?" she asked, half to him, and half to no one.

"That is a very good question." Ezio ran his hand through his dark brown hair.

Sighing through her nose, she changed topic.

"Are you going to read more, or are we just going to sit around like bums?"

"You say the strangest things sometimes." He smiled.

"And proud of it!" she proclaimed with pride.

Giving a small chuckle, he continued to read.

"Happy Birthday, Elinana." He handed the journal back to her, once he was done reading. "How old are you now?"

"Nineteen," she replied, and wondered about her father.

She looked out to the west. A brilliant orange sun peeked through the ruins. Above the drowsy sun, a crown of pink, plum, and indigo, decorated with the stars winking into sight.

"You want to know another thing about me?" she asked, not taking her eyes from the sight.

"Nothing too strange I hope." He replied, taking in her fiery ribbon hair, and her eyes that turned to a shad of violet, in the light of the setting sun.

"My favorite time of day," she replied. "Dusk, and dawn."

**Writer's note. **

**You all may say that her relationship with Ezio is better then the one with Altaïr. But, she will heave a different bond with every one of them.**

**Her relationship with Altaïr is like a mix of the big brother and slightly almost fatherly too. And you'll see that her relationship with Ezio is like the youngest sis, and the second oldest brother. **

**She will become less and less a defenseless girl, and start to become stronger, and become a young **_**woman**_**. (And plenty of goofing around.) **

**Every relationship, will be different, but still have the same theme, "brother and Sister." **

**But as a teaser; not the case with Connor… (Mastermind laugh) **

**Again, say what you like, or dislike. Ask a question, (50, 50 chance of an answer.) **

**Later! **


	19. How to Save a Life

Flying across the rooftops, ran a girl, clothed in dusty sky blue, Assassin clothing. In place of crimson, was an indigo sash rippling in the wind behind her. A cape that matched her outfit, flapped behind her left shoulder. And lightweight, leather armor was strapped to her shoulder, and matching wrist gauntlets strapped to her arms.

As Elinana ran, she glanced around, searching for her mentor.

"Che ci fai qui?" yelled a guard that patrolled the rooftops.

But she didn't pay him any mind, until a crossbow bullet hissed an inch passed her arm. Bolting around a corner, she found a baloney, with dusty red curtains.

"An exhalent hiding place," she thought, then dove in. Quickly calming the curtains still; she peeked through the small gap, and saw the guard run past, yelling to what he thought was her.

Elinana placed her gloved hand over her mouth, to muffle her laughter. She found the guard's stupidity so amusing; she bowed, with her laughter leaking through her fingers.

Gentle, hand toughed her shoulder, cussing her to stopped laughing, and leaped back, hand on the hilt of a knife Ezio had given her.

Expecting to find a foe, she turned to find Ezio.

"Stop doing that!" her body relaxed.

"Sorry Poco Colomba." he apologized, hiding his amusement. For some reason, he really liked sneaking up on her. "What have you been up to, might I ask?"

"Ah, you know," she replied casually. "Running around, looking for you, pointing and laughing at the stupid guards."

Ezio tried his best to keep from laughing. "You should not make fun of them."

"I know that you enjoy watching them running around, looking for you in the wrong places, just as much as I do!" she peeked through the crack, and then popped her hooded head out.

"It's clear." She reported, the leaped to neighboring roof.

Little did Elinana and Ezio know, is that a man in black, hidden in the shadows, watched them walk, and leap from one roof to another. Like a shadow, he fallowed them. And studied the way they talked together. But he watched Elinana closely; the way she lightly leaped, the way she moved.

His hand curled into a fist, and his teeth gritted tightly. He remembered her movements, as a hunter knows how his pray moves.

From the rooftops, to the ruin plotted, rolling country; the shadow fallowed them.

"I like it here," Elinana stated walking on top of a low wall. "I don't normally like cities, but, I really like it here."

"You should see Firenze," he stated, walking beside Elinana. "I think you would love it there, and especially the country around it."

"Was it your home?" she asked. "Because you talk about it, the way someone would think of home."

"Sì," he murmured almost sadly. "It _was_ my home."

"Have you ever been to Venice?" she changed topic, for his sake.

"Sì," he replied, the sadness vanished, and in it's place, a cheerier tone. "I have."

"What's it like?"

"Impressive, I suppose."

"You suppose?" she asked, running out of wall, so she lightly leaped to the grass.

"If you like it here, you would like Venezia."

"It would be nice, to see the legendary floating city, and your home." She plucked a blade of grass, and toyed with it.

"Why not?"

She slowed to a stop, and gazed down at the ground.

"Elinana?" he asked warmly.

"I can't," she murmured, mournfully. "I wish I could, but…" she forced her feet to move. "I don't know when the storm that could take me home, will show up. It's both predicable, and yet not. It's hard to explain."

He saw her pain of not knowing, her desire to belong, but to also return home. He couldn't help but remember himself in his younger years, looking at her.

"Say what?"

"Why?" he asked in confusion.

"Not literally!" she laughed. "Some time in _your_ future, why don't you visit them for me? Deal?" she held out her hand.

He smiled under his hood, and gently grasped, and shook her hand. "Deal."

Past Ezio's shoulder, Elinana saw a strange kite, flying as if it was drunk. Followed her gaze, Ezio saw the kite, just before it vanished. Even with a breath glance, he knew who the contraption belong to.

"Would you like to meet an old friend of mine?" he asked smiling, guiding her toured where the kite vanished.

Rounding the corner of a stone wall, Elinana saw a man with a crimson cap, and cape examining his kite.

"Leonardo!" Ezio called cheerfully.

Elinana froze to the name. "Leonardo?" she lightly grabbed and poled on Ezio's arm. "As in, _the_ Leonardo da Vinci?"

"Ezio!" cheerfully called Leonardo, who left the side of his invention, and greeted Ezio with a brief hug.

"Who is your lovely young friend?" Leonardo turned to her, with kind, inquisitive, brown eyes.

"This is Elinana Doricent." Ezio replied.

"Ah, La signorina Doricent!" he quickly, but gently took her hand. "Ezio has told me much about you!"

She wiped her head toured Ezio. "What sort of things, might I ask?"

"That you are a talented young Lady; a skilled fighter, musician, a lady of science, and culture. All of witch, are qualities of a noble woman."

Her body relaxed, and she inwardly gave a sigh of relief that her secret hadn't been placed in the wrong hands.

"It's an honor to meet you." She smiled under her hood.

"The honor is all mine!" he smiled cheerfully.

"Leo," Ezio haled up the kite. "What is it you are working on now?"

"Per favore, Ezio!" Leo rushed over, and gingerly toke the contraption. "This is a small experiment I'm basing on the Japanese's Kite." Leo explained. "But I can't seem to control it, even with a soft wind."

"A tail," Elinana stated, taking off her belt. Leo and Ezio's heads turned to her. "It needs a tail."

Leo's eyes widened with realization . "Of cores!" he proclaimed. "I forgot the tail!"

"What are you two on about?" Ezio asked, completely out of the loop.

"Drag, mio fratello!" explained Leo, as Elinana tied her indigo sash to the back tip of the kite.

Ezio nodded, pretending to understand.

Leonardo held up his kite, and ran. Releasing it, it soared into the sky like a bird. Giving the kite more string, it climbed higher and higher, with her indigo sash waving, and rippling in the wind.

"It even helps to lightly tug on it."

Leo took her advice, and it seemed to flap like an actual bird.

"Ah ha!" Leo cheered. "I could kiss you Elinana!"

Her head flashed to him, her eyes wide. Ezio struggled to keep from laughing.

After handing it around, Leo steadily polled the kite back down. Ezio caught it, and Elinana retrieved her sash. As she wrapped her sash, around her waist, a distant voice yelled, "Assassino!"

Ezio perked-up at the name, and searched for the source.

"Prendi il marmocchio!"

Off to the west, ran a twiggy, assassin trainee boy, being chased by a small horde of guards.

She fastened her belt, as Ezio ran to help the pup. "Stay with Leonardo!" Ezio called out his shoulder.

"Olly olly oxen free!" she called, and was soon replied by a whinny.

Hercules trotted around a corner, and he gently bumped his nose on her arm as he approached.

"Where are you going?" Leonardo asked.

"There is one thing Ezio, never told you about me," she leaped onto Hercules's back. "I don't fallow orders very well."

Hercules bolted forward, and gently ran up beside Ezio.

"Would you like a ride?" she called out, smiling.

Without a word Ezio, leaped up behind Elinana, and gently, but firmly wrapped his arms around her.

"I told you to stay with Leonardo." He grumbled in her ear.

"As if I'm going to let you have all the fun!" she replied, as Hercules ran up to the horde.

Ezio leaped onto a guard as he plunged his hidden blade into the victim's neck. Rising off the corpse, he stood ready for the first fool to take him on.

Elinana leaped off Hercules, and she landed on a guard that pinned the boy in a corner, knocking him out as he hit the ground. She checked the pulse of her victim, at the right side, below the jaw. Feeling it pulsing under her finger, she rose and saw the boy staring past her.

Following his gaze, she saw Ezio stabbing a guard in the belly. His stabbers where delivered so fast, she wondered if Ezio had drank a gallon of caffeine that morning.

Movement at the corner of her eye made her draw her knife. She spun to find a scarlet and black clothed guard, with a dagger in hand. He reached out a hand to grab her knife, but she dragged her knife across the arm.

The guard recoiled with a yelp of pain, cradling his injured arm. He gave her a sinister snarl, and then dove for her.

She danced aside, and as he stumbled past her, she gave him a kick in the buttocks. He stumbled to the ground, and his knife flew from his grip.

Satisfied with Elinana's performance, Ezio strolled up to the guard that crawled on the ground, looking for his dagger. Grabbing the guard by the scuff of the neck, he polled the guard to his feet. As the guard spun to fight Ezio, he's fist slammed into the guard's face, knocking him out cold.

"Hay kid," Elinana walked up to the still panting trainee. "You okay?"

"Maestro, che cosa sta dicendo?" the boy asked Ezio.

"Si stava chiedendo se tu fossi bene." Ezio replied.

Elinana sighed, unable to fallow, with her limited Italian vocabulary.

"Oh don't mind me," she said sarcastically. "I'll just stand over here, clueless as a gull." She leaned against the wall of a home, lags crossed at her heels.

"Sono sour bene, grazie a te e Maestro Ezio." The boy placed his right hand on his heart.

She looked to Ezio, asking him with her eyes for a translation. "The boy is uninjured."

Elinana leaned of the wall, and reached her hand out, to introduce herself. As she opened her mouth, a blood chilling howl sounded suddenly, not that far away. Then a howl replied just twenty yards to Elinana's left.

She and the boy creped closer to Ezio, as he drew his two sided knife. He searched the area with narrowed eyes. A howl behind him caused him to spin around to the sound.

"It's them, isn't, the Followers of Romulus?" Elinana patted Hercules, with her back to Ezio's. Hercules made growl like noises in his throat.

"Go," Ezio commanded.

"What?" Elinana spun to his back.

He turned to her, and ordered sternly. "You and the boy, get on Hercules, and go!"

Ezio practically flung her onto the horse's back. And ordered in Italian to the boy, the same thing he ordered her.

"I'm not leaving you!" she grumbled angrily, as a shadow appeared and vanished behind a gap of two adjacent structures.

"Si testardo," Ezio struggled to keep his anger down. "You are my Apprentice, I am your Master. And to day's lessen, is obey my word, or you will die!"

"I've faced death before, Ezio!" replied in defiance.

"They are just as skilled as a fully trained Assassin. You would fight bravely, but you will not last five minutes with them." He growled.

Her anger stedaly faded.

"Go." he slapped Hercules's rump, and the horse leaped forward, with the boy clinging nervously, and tightly to Elinana.

The world flashed by, as Hercules carried the two assassin trainees over the rolling hills. Elinana looked behind to see Ezio, in a ring of men wearing wolf hides, and three getting on horses.

Ezio saw the pagan hounds, leap onto the horses. And with a split secant reaction, threw small knives in their backs. And they gave a blood chilling howl, as they fell. His action polled a growl from the throats of all the pagan hounds.

"Il tempo di prendere la nostra vendetta, assassino." (Translation: time to take our vengeance, assassin.)

She rode west, to where she knew that she could get help.

"Sorella!" yelled the boy over the wailing of the wind. "Dietro l'uso!"

"What?" she yelled back, looking over her shoulder to see five pagan hounds fallowing them. Then moment in the corner of her eye, made her whip her head to see two more on her right.

The boy tapped the left side of her hip. She whipped her face to her left to see, yet two more on horse back.

Time to bring out the big guns! She thought, and then yelled fiercely, "Yippee-i-o-ki-yay!" Hercules thundered faster, waving in and around ruins.

With out her noticing, until she was up to her hips in water, did she know where they where. She looked back, to see the Followers of Romulus covering the beach, blacking the way the to La Volpe's Inn.

Elinana searched down both sides if the river, but she only saw two chooses; leave Hercules, or face the Followers of Romulus.

She shook her head, then steered Hercules close to the north side of the river. From the corner of her eye, she saw the Followers of Romulus, moving adjacent with them.

Then, one apparently grew tiered of this, and leaped in to the water. She eyed the swimming pagan hound that looked like a rat and the ones that used the wooded polls that stock out of the water, as a bridge.

She urged Hercules to swim in the other way.

"Abbastanza giochi!" yelled one of the Followers, then threw a rock that missed her, but hit the boy. The boy gave a short faint yelp, and then splashed into the water.

She looked for him, but he didn't resurface. Not paying any mind to the approaching Follower, she dived after the boy.

The water swam with things Elinana didn't wish to know. And despite it being high noon, under the water, it was dark, as if the water was a dirty curtain. She kicked deeper, unable to see the boy. Then a barley noticeable trail of blood, lead to a sill form. She pouched toured the boy, then wrapped her arm around him, and swam to the surface.

Breaking the surface, she saw the Assassins battling the Followers of Romulus.

"Elinana!" yelled a familiar voice as a hand polled her back under.

Just visible through the dirty water, was a Follower. He made to stab her, but a white and crimson bluer pouched the follower away. She didn't stay to watch Ezio, her thoughts where only with the boy. And the crimson cloud that formed on the side of his head.

Breaking the surface again, she struggled to keep the boy's head above the water. Then from the deeps, Ezio helped her keep the boy's head out of the water. And together they swam for the shore.

Panting she lowered her hood, and felt the boy's head. Her hand stopped on a lump, taking her hand away, blood covered her quivering fingers.

"Ezio, apply pressure to his wound." She nervously ordered, then checked for a pulse. Fear curled its icy roots into her stomach and into her heart as she found none.

"Okay, okay…" she repeated, as she placed two of her fingers in the boy's mouth and cleared way some bitts of debris from the water. After that she peered into the boy's mouth.

"Elinana, what are you doing?" Ezio panted tarring a peace of his robe and placed in on the wound.

"Trying to save this boy's life." she replied. "Help me turn him to his side."

He asked no more questions, and assumed that he was going to see another thing from Elinana's own time.

A bit of water flowed from the boy's mouth, then she quickly ordered, "Now on his back again." Ezio obeyed, and gently turned the boy back, on his back.

She placed both of her trembling hands, on the boy's jaw and opened the airway. Lowering her ear to his mouth, but she didn't hear any breathing.

"Okay." She breathed, then pinched the boy's nose then sealed her mouth over his.

Ezio and the other assassins that stood around them, watched in wonder to what she is doing.

After blowing hard, she poled away, and then did it again.

"Did his chest rise?" she asked Ezio, who was at a loss of words. "Watch his chest." She ordered, and then repeated the posse. After the two breathes, she looked to Ezio. "Yes, his chest rose."

Nodding her head, she cheeked for breathing, and a pulse, but there was still none. Taking deep breathes; she placed her palms on the boy's chest, with her elbows straight. She pushed down hard in rhythm with a quiet song she breathed.

"Ah, ah, ah, ah, stayin' alive, stayin' alive,

Ah, ah, ah, ah, stayin' alive…"

Then the boy vomited up the river water, and Elinana quickly poled the boy to his side with Ezio's help. The boy was caught in-between breathing and coughing.

A hand warm and gentle hand touched her shoulder. Looking to her side was La Volpe. He looked to the boy and leaded his hand on the boy's shoulder, and gently squeezed it.

The boy's breathing final started to come easier, and gentler. La Volpe smiled warmly to the boy then to Elinana.

"I don't understand how you did it," he kindly squeezed her shoulder. "But I thank you for saving him, Sister."

"You know him?" she asked feeling worn from all of the events of the day so far, and it was barley past noon.

"Know him!" he laughed warmly. "He is my nephew, Dante!"

"Your nephew." She murmured, looking at the boy. His face was pail, but he had a handsome build. And he appeared to be some years younger then her. Though he looked nothing like Darim, she couldn't help but remember the twiggy boy.

"We should get out of here, before more Followers arrive." La Volpe stated.

"Wait." Elinana protested.

"Why?" La Volpe asked, and every eye was turned to her.

But her thoughts swirled around her, making a bobble.

It could be dangerous to move him, but he can't stay, waiting for an ambulance that wouldn't even be around for centers.

"Elinana." Ezio softly said her name, with the music of his Italian accent. She looked to him then to La Volpe. Then an idea bloomed in her head.

She rose to her feet, and then took a deep breath. "We'll move him, but the method may seem a tad strange."

"This is going to interesting." Ezio grumbled.

"First we need to road to your Inn clear." She instructed.

Ezio nodded then rose to his feet and gave orders to the assassins. Then the majority headed in the direction of the Inn. And some remained to help in anyway they could.

"Herc!" she called to the wet horse, and he trotted forward. "Ezio, call Kicker."

He nodded then gave a high pinched whistle. From the hills, behind some ruins, galloped the ginger mare, and she spryly trotted up to him.

"La Volpe, you and your nephew ride Kicker. I would have you on Hercules, but Kicker is unaccustomed to me massing around as Herc is."

"You are the Healer, Angelo della Vita." La Volpe bowed, then he and the other assassins genital lifted Dante onto Kicker's back. Then he leaped up behind his nephew.

"Don't let his head drop down, keep it up as much as possible, so his airway is open." She instructed, and La Volpe nodded.

"Our part is a bit awkward," She stated to Ezio.

"In what way is it 'awkward,' might I ask?"

"We'll be sitting in opposite directions."

Ezio smirked, and shook his head.

**(To make a long story, long. After kind of arguing, and messing around on poor Hercules; having noisy monkeys on his back. They finally got it right.)**

Elinana and Ezio sat back to back, with her right arm locked with his left.

"About bloody time we got that straitened out." She mumbled. Then leaned forward, grabbed Dante's wrist, and felt his pulse beat against her fingers.

"We're good to go." she announced. And then Ezio murmured something in Italian urged, then Hercules forward. 

As they rode for the Inn, the assassins that had swapped the area, tilled their heads, and shrugged their shoulders to the sight of Elinana ridding backwards. But to Elinana's relief, the ride was uneventful.

**Evening**

Elinana had stayed vigilant when the Doctor had treated Dant's head, and gave him—what he clamed—was antibiotics. But she was too tiered and too inexperienced in the field of medicine, to argue or fight. So she stayed, in her wet clothes, when La Volpe left her to watch over his nephew. And she stayed when Ezio went out in search with the other Assassins, of the Followers of Romulus. But not even the dead could be found.

So he returned, and found Elinana dozing on an uncomfortable wood chair, humming a soft snore. He quietly polled a chair up next to her, and cringed to every squeak of the floor boards and the chair.

Elinana's head slowly, sleepily, inched its way to Ezio's shoulder. Her head on his shoulder, he smiled warmly at her. He would wake her later, but for now; he held her feather like hand, and listened to her soft humming snore, and watched over the boy.

**Had to trim it, or I would be writing all day, and I don't have that time. The song was "Stayin' Alive" by Bee Gees. I don't own it, like Assassin's Creed. **

**Hope you all are enjoying it!**

**Again say what you like, dislike, ask a q. **

**And did any one get the teaser? Or is it still to early on for you all to understand. Say what you think it means, if you like. **

**See you in a week or more. **

**And I actually found a class that I hate more then Math… **_**Chemistry**_**. (Organ playing) **


	20. Secta Luporum

**Warning!**

**May be a tad graphic, **

**And some curses (in Italian).**

**You have been warned, but only you can say what you read. I'm just glade I keep it mild-ish. **

Like a shadow, a Man in black soundlessly marched down the dark passage, used only by the Followers of Romulus. He knew he was near to the meting, he could tell by the grumbling chatter that grew with every step.

He slowed to a stop in the mouth of darkness, and stood on the edge of a large forgotten hall, with the broken bones of an age old world. But he remembered that old world, as if from a dream.

Pouching the memories aside he glanced around the hall; it was positively crawling with the pagan hounds. They stood on the crumbling balconies, and a horde stood around a blazing fire that lit the entire hall.

This Adam sternly has made a name for himself. He though. If I want my ravening, I will have to tread carefully, and make my plans clear, and to the point. His hand caressed the hilt of his dagger, hidden under his cloak.

With an erect form, he strutted into to hall. As he marched forward, the echoing chatter silenced, and every head turned to him. The crowd parted as he walked to the fire.

Kneeling before the dancing flames was a white hided Follower, robbing his thumb on the spine of a broken blade.

"I am pleased to see you resaved my message." the Man said, beneath an ink black mask that covered his entire face.

"You said you could give us the Assassin," the White hound replied with a rusty voice, and the other Followers rumbled a growl.

"Ezio Auditore da Firenze!" he spat asidicly. And they all growled and spat at the name.

"Yes, however!" the Man in black walked along the rim of the fire. "If you want your revenge, we will have to work together, and follow the plan I devised, accordingly."

The White hound chuckled coldly. "What is it—or should I say _who_—is it that you want?"

"There is a girl. She and the Auditore are close." He continued to stroll around the fire. "Part one, from the other," he paused, and took out his dagger and a ruby red apple. And cut it in half. "The other will come."

"So we abduct the girl." the White hound rose.

"No," replied the Man in black. "We will abduct the _Auditore_, and let her come to use."

"Would it not be easier to do it the other way around?"

"No, she is too well protected." He replied. "She will be too worried for her Adam, to think of her own safety, if we take _him_."

"Adam?" the White hound tilted his head.

"Ezio, is what I meant to say." He quickly covered his slip. "But there is more, then just _abduction_." He handed one half to the White hound.

"This plan of yours better be good." The White hound took the half of the apple. Then took a big bit of it, and the juice ran down his silver whiskers as his lips curled upward menacingly.

Birds sang to the high hanging sun. Elinana sat on top of a wall, that made up part of the maze like ruins that Ezio and her ran around in on her birthday. Quill in hand, she wondered how to pike up where she left off with her journal. After shuffling from one idea to another, this is what she wrote:

A week or so, after my 19th birthday; Ezio introduced me to none other, then Leonardo da Vinci! Then we ran into some trouble, but at the end of the day, the boy that we saved made it through. He had a headache, but thankfully that was only the worst of it.

And after the whole thing, I taught Ezio CPR. He saw me preformed it on the boy, and I thought it would be good if he knew it.

Five days have pasted, and the boy fallows me like a poppy. Its cut, but it can get a bit annoying and awkward, because we don't really speck the same language. But I finally managed to get some alone time.

Elinana raised her bowed head from her journal. Why do I suddenly feel as if someone is watching me? She thought with an arched brow.

"Hiding from Dante?" Ezio's deep, musicale voice rumbled behind her ear.

She jumped out of her skin and yelped, "Holy!" she leaned forward, hand over her mouth, and then moved it to her brow. "Talking mushrooms! What is with you Ninja Assassins, and bloody sneaking up on me?"

"Because I can!" He smirked, and chuckled.

"Ha, ha, ha, vary funny." She retorted sarcastically. "And if I was hiding from Dante, I would have picked a better spot. Incase you haven't noticed, I couldn't be more out in the open."

Ezio nodded, and rubbed his whiskery chin.

"What's on your mind?" she asked, dangling her lags over the edge of the wall.

"My pardon?" he asked.

"I've spent enough time with you, to know when the gears in that head of yours are working."

Ezio slightly squirmed, and cleared his throat. "Dante greatly admires you."

"Admires me." She echoed slowly.

"He asked for my permission to court you."

Elinana's jaw draped with bewilderment. "You don't speck for me, and he had no right on asking you!" he temper rose.

"Easy Poco Colomba, I told him that you have a mind of your own."

"Dang right I do!" she snapped. "And why does every one insist on calling me small? I was one of the tallest girls in my _school, _for crying out loud! I'm not _Poco_, I'm not a _Lady_. I may not be as strong as you, but I survived more then most people do in their entire life time!" she leaped down, and marched over to Hercules that picked up on her anger, and whinnied nervously.

Ezio, at loss of Elinana's outburst, leaped down, but gave her, her space. Elinana's anger slowly faded, as she checked the saddle straps.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled over her shoulder. "I'm just tired of being seen as a weak and defenseless _girl_!" she sneered at the word.

Ezio walked over and stroked Hercules's muzzle. "Forgive me, Elinana," he softly apologized. "I call you Poco, pearly because you are young, innocent, and because you never been with a man."

She turned her head to him.

"I know you have suffered greatly, and you still are suffering. And I know your strength. My only wish is to spar you more pain and strife."

Her head graded down, to stair down at her boots, and her shoulders dropped.

"You know, you can use it in your favor." He warmly smiled.

"What do mean?" she asked, stroking Hercules's neck.

"Let your enemies miss judge you, then when they turn their back to you—"

"Go for the weak spots." She lightly smirked, and shook her head. "You want me to play David."

"Sì!" he gently grabbed her shoulder, and light gave it shack.

"Thanks Bro." she slapped his shoulder, and then went back to the wall to retrieve her quill and ink battle. Sprinting toured the wall; she ran and pouched herself up. Certain that the cork was on good, she tossed it to Ezio. And he caught it, as if it was nothing.

Something slapped the wall behind her, and then an arm wrapped around her waist and polled her down. The world blurred as her body felt the sensation of falling. The air in her lungs flew out with a grunt, as she hit the ground, or the body of her attacker. Rolling away, she pouched her back to the wall, and saw two Followers of Romulus snarling at her.

A shadow flashed over the two pagan hounds, and then Ezio swooped down on them, and plunged his hidden blades in their throats. He rose quickly, and glanced around the area with narrowed eyes, and stepped backwards to her.

"Did they harm you?" he asked just briefly glancing down at her.

"I'm fine." She rose to his side.

On the other side of the wall she could hear Hercules trying to figurer out how to get to her. Suddenly wolf howls called out all around them. She inched close to Ezio, as he slightly polled her behind him.

Suddenly they stopped. The air grew still and cool, as a cloud blocked out the sun. Even the birds' song went still.

"Okay," she nervously whispered, and drew her knife. "Do we run or, fight?"

Blood chilling howls filled the cool air. And Elinana and Ezio both noticed that they where closer.

Gritting her teeth, she pouched the fear down deep, and stood next to Ezio, ready for the first follower to poke out its ugly face.

"Run," he replied. "Go now!" he heaved her on top of the wall.

As Ezio climbed up she quickly searched the ruins, and her stomach grew heavy as she saw countless shadows searching for them.

"Keep low." She whispered as she silently slid down on the other side of the wall.

Following her example, he swiftly and quietly followed her, and kept a wary eye out for danger.

Once she mounted Hercules, she offered a hand to Ezio as he searched the ruins.

"Ezio come on!" she whispered only loud enough for him to hear.

He took her hand firmly and looked her in the eyes.

"You're not coming with." She quietly mumbled.

"I'll draw their attention, as you make for La Volpe's Inn. I'll meet you there." He replied in a low, quite, and firm voice.

Elinana slowly breathed a sigh, and squeezed his hand. "You be carful." She gave his hand another squeeze, then let go.

"You as well," he stepped back. "Sister."

With a nod, she urged Hercules forward, and Ezio ran beneath the wall for a bit then clambered up atop it. Standing strait, with his arms out, he yelled, "Bastardi!"

The Followers looked over to him, and they all growled.

"Vieni a prendermi stupido bastardo!" he kicked off running. With the howls filling the air, knives hissed past, and Hercules's hooves galloping away.

**Elinana**

The moment she saw Ezio kick off running, she urged Hercules into a gallop. The ruins bearded together, in a mix of gray, green, and hints of brown. She even saw a flash of a few forms amongst the ruins, and they yell things in Italian after her. But Hercules continued onward all the same.

Then the maze like ruins flew away behind her, in its place; rolling hills with the broken bones of the ancient world here, and there.

Elinana glanced behind, and to her sides, but saw no one fallowing her. She leaned forward so that Hercules's sandy gold mane touched her cheek.

God, she prayed in her head. I know that Ezio is not a believer. But I know that you don't turn way from anyone. So please, hear me. Look after him, I know he can be a hand full, but if you look past _a lot of things, _you'll see why I care about what happens to him. In your name I pray, amen.

Soon Hercules carried her before La Volpe's Inn. Leaping down she ran to the door and flung it open. Her nose was greeted by the smell of ale, spicy chowder, salty mutton, and backing bread. And her ears where greeted by the mixed Italian chatter of conversions, booming howls of laughter, and cheers of victory from the gaming area.

She pouched her way through the crowd to the back, where La Volpe's Office is. Stepping into the dimly lit room, she saw no one. Her heart beat grew faster as she wondered where to look for him.

"Elinana," she spun around to see the bright, young face of Dante. "Lui ti ha ditto." He smiled.

She grabbed his shoulders tighter then she meant, and forced him to stair in her eyes.

"Where is La Volpe?" she demeaned. "Where is he?" her voice tainted with desperation.

Dante's eyes grew with fear and confutation.

She closed her eyes, and tried to control her breathing. "Dove, è, La Volpe?" she asked slowly. (where is La Volpe.)

"Egli non è qui." He replied.

From her limited Italian, she understood that he wasn't here.

"Fare, te, sapere, dove?" (Do you know where?)

"Sì." He nodded.

"Then go." she ordered shoving him to the door.

Seeming to understand, he left with haste. Leaving her standing along, feeling trapped in the present, unable to move forward.

**Ezio**

Running along the wall, Ezio fired away at several Followers of Romulus with his Crossbow. Quickly glancing around the ruins, he saw no sign of her. Then, off on the rolling hills, he saw a blue figure riding on a sandy gold horse, flying over the hills.

Good lock to anyone that tries to get her now. He thought, leaping a large gap to another wall, and then leaped on a follower, driving his hide blade into his prey's neck.

Quickly rising, he danced as death with the pagan hounds. The air around him came alive with the spray of crimson, and the chilling howls of the followers.

As the last pagan hound fell lifeless to the ground, Ezio was hit by the all too familiar metallic tang of blood that he never really quit got over.

Breathing heavily, he murmured over his victims, "Requiescat in pace, bastardi." He stepped over the lifeless forms, taking care not to step on them.

Once the dead lied behind him, he felt a tickle in the back of his neck. He only ever felt it when unfriendly eyes watched him. He quickly went over his ammonium that he still had; five bullets, same with the crossbow bullets, and seven throwing knives.

I have faced more foes with less. He thought, as he searched for the unfriendly eyes. Emerging from the shadows, stride a man, hooded and clothed in black. As he walked forward he clapped slowly.

"Impressive," he called out to Ezio. "Really, it was like Death himself, was painting a master peace right before my eyes."

Ezio gritted his teeth, and glared at the man in black. "Who are you, and what roll do you play in this?" he gestured to the dead.

"Ah! Were are my manures?" he smirked under his hood. "I am Gasparo," he bowed, and then the smirk curled menacingly up. "Borgia."

Ezio's blood stained hands tightly curled into fists. The only two reaming people that bore the name were behind bars, or wrapped in velvet in some Castle.

"I find it amusing that I have not herd of you till now," Ezio called over. "You must be the outcome of some poor girl that Rodrigo raped!"

Gasparo humorlessly laughed, then whistled.

A small sharp pain, stung at his bicep. Looking down at his arm, a small feathered dart stood out of his bicep. Polling it out, he ran. As he ran he smelt the tip of the dart, but couldn't smell a thing.

"I find your fighting spirit mildly amusing!" Gasparo called over the maze of ruins.

Ezio panted to a stop, and leaned against a wall, his head was quickly growing cloudy and his eyelids grew heavier, and his body felt as if it was turning to stone.

Keep moving, he ordered himself. You stop, you die! He forced himself to run again. But soon he lost all control of his body, and he slumped to the ground.

His vision bobbed in and out of darkness. And just before he fell in the arms of darkness, he saw the black concealed face of Gasparo.

"No worries Adam," Gasparo patted his cheek. "You are not dyeing. Not yet any way..."

Then darkness took him, in its deep embrace.

**Elinana**

Elinana paced back and forth on the roof of La Volpe's Inn, always searching the rolling hills for La Vople, Dante, and above all, Ezio. She had bit her nails, she tried to think of a song to sing to make time go faster, but she couldn't remember the entire song. Elinana ran her hands through her hair, feeling as though she was about to scream to time to get going already.

Then two figures rod toured the Inn. As they got nearer, she fractionized La Volpe right away.

"About bloody time." She grumbled, and leaped to the haystack below her. She was so consumed with worry; she didn't feel the rush of the air rippling around her. As soon as she hit the hay with a hiss, she leaped out, and sprinted to meet La Vople and Dante.

"What took you so long?" she demeaned as they dismounted. "Never mind, La Vople, Ezio and I ran into trouble in the ruins of Palatine hill. He said he would meet me here but he hasn't returned!" her voice showing her worry.

"Elinana, calm down," he gently, but forcefully grabbed her shoulders, and forced her to look him in the eyes. "What sort of trouble?"

"Romulus," her voice slightly shook. "The Followers of Romulus, they where every where, looking for us…he made me run as he drew their attention on him. I know he is better then good at fighting, but…" she squirmed in her own skin, with pines and needles creped under her skin.

"Ezio can take care of himself, but we'll send Assassins to see if he needs assistants." La Volpe then turned to Dante, and said something, but her blood pounded in her ears, and the pines and needles creped painfully allover. She marched to Hercules, and mounted him quickly, ignoring La Vople and Dante.

The wind kissed her worm face, as Hercules carried her back to the ruins.

Never leaving his back she searched the ruins. All she could find was a large area of grass, painted crimson. No bodies and no Ezio.

Closing her eyes she cleared her mind. Slowly opening them she saw the blue ghost of Ezio. She watched him run in the maze like ruins, and she followed on Hercules. Then once at the bottom of the stone stairs, he vanished. But a red line ran along to the road, and stretched over the rolling hills. Urging Hercules forward, they followed the red line.

After some distance, the red line lead them into the heart of some ruin that she couldn't name. Then it ended at peculiar swore like hole cap, low in the wall.

Leaping off Hercules, she kneeled before it. Placing her hand on it, she pouched it open, like a doggy door. Beyond the entrance was a dark tunnel that slide deep into the ground.

Looking over to Hercules, she smiled. "Wish me lock, buddy; looks like it's down the rabbit hole for me."

Taking a deep breath, she sat on the edge of darkness. "Cowabunga." She murmured then slid down into darkness.

**Ezio **

Awoken by the splash of water, Ezio shack his head to clear it, and shack away the water. Panting, he raised his head and stared into an ink black mask shadowed by a hood. He yanked his arms, but he couldn't move more then half an inch. Looking from arm to arm, he found iron shackles hogging his wrists above his head.

"Sorry about your accommodations, but we can not have you running amuck. Can we, Chief Gray Fang?" Gasparo tilled then turned his head to Eizo's right.

From the shadows emerged a buff, middle-aged pagan hound, with a white wolf hide preached on his head that stretched down his back.

"You must be wandering why you are not dead yet." Gasparo stated, more then asked.

"Revenge and torture, but to save us both time; just skip on to revenge, I will not talk." Ezio lead against the cold wall behind him.

Gasparo chuckled. "You think that this is about Rodrigo and Cesare!" his chuckle turned to a laugh. "You could not be farther from the mark, Auditore! Cesare can hang himself in his cell for all I care. As for Rodrigo, I merely use his name to get me what I want."

"You still are his blood and bone." Ezio grumbled.

"Yes, I have his blood," he brought his masked face close to Ezio's. "And you have Adam's. I can see him, in your eyes," he roughly grabbed Ezio's jaw. "In your scar…" he leaned close to Ezio's ear. "And your love for Eve."

"Who?"

Gasparo sighed, leaned way, and giving Ezio a hard shove as he released his face. "Must I spell it out? The girl!" he flung his arms out. "The girl that you protect and teach; it is all about _her_!"

Ezio's fists curled tight, and heat grew like fire in his chest that speared all through his body. "You leave her alone." He growled.

"What will you do? You can't kill me in your certain position."

"No? When I get out of these shackles, I _will_ end your miserable life before you even so much as lay your _eyes_ on her." Ezio growled darkly.

Gasparo chuckled. Then polled out a large green vial from his pouch, and then nodded at Gray Fang. The hound smirked evilly, and marched over to Ezio. Grabbing his hair through his hood, he jerked his head back and forced his mouth open.

Ezio fought against the pagan hound, but a fist forcefully drove into his stomach. With a groan, the air flew from his lunges. Before he could recover bitter liquid flowed down his throat that slightly burned as well as it came down.

He fought, and tried to spit the liquid back out. But hand covered his mouth, and another blow drove into his gut. And without meaning to, he swallowed the bitter, burning liquid. They rightly let his face go, and he coughed with a bowed head.

"There," Gasparo placed the vial on the handrail of the balcony. "That was not so heard now was it?" he mocked, as if talking to a child.

"What was—?"

"In the vial?" Gasparo quickly finished, casually leaning against the doorway to the balcony. "Call it a gift or more of a test really, for Eve. If I am wrong about her; well!" He chuckled, and glanced to Gray Fang. "If she fails, Gray Fang can do what he pleases with her."

Ezio glared darkly at the two of them, ignoring the slight bourn in his stomach, and the burning soreness in his throat.

"But, do not fret. I have never incorrectly judged a person." He glanced over the handrails, and then stalked away into the shadows. "Speaking of whom, here is the woman of the hour now."

**Elinana**

Emerging from the shadows, stepped Elinana in her blue and indigo robes. She glanced wearily about the hall, lit with only the blazing bonfire. But glancing up she saw a balcony, with a room lit by torches, just beyond it.

Clearing her mind as best she could, a faint blue glow peeked over the hand railings. Sighing she looked for a way up, but found yet another climbing puzzle. Her shoulders slouched, and she marched to where she could begin her climb.

"Hold on buddy, I'm almost there!" she called up. "Just have to do one last bloody puzzle!"

She climbed onto a fallen column, then ran and pouched up the standing column. Heaving up, she panted, and then leaped for the protruding stones on the wall, hitting it with a slight groan.

"Forget about me, get out of here!" Ezio called out.

She monad, as she heaved herself up on a wood beam. "No can do," she replied.

"Remember what I said last time?" he called.

"Yes, but its not like I have a chooses!" she leaped for a metal rail then swung to a wood beam then leaped to the balcony, and stumbled to the stone ground.

Ezio struggled with all his strength, but the iron shackles held true. All he could do was watch her wearily rise, and shuffled her way to him.

"Listen to me!" he growled to her.

"No, you listen to _me_!" she snapped. "Do you have any idea what I went through to rescue you? One gigantic puzzle after another!" she yanked at the shackles, then gave up, and looked for the key.

"Actually I do, and I can not protect you like this." He rattled his shackles.

"I can handle myself Ezio." she growled. "I don't need you to hold my hand."

"That pigheaded pride of yours is going to be the death of you one day."

"Not today!" she held up the key that was hidden under a wolf's skull on a stack of crates.

Marching over, she quickly unlocked his shackles. Once free, he firmly led her to a ladder that leads out of the hound's hole.

"Go, I'll be right behind you." He urged her.

As she clambered up, he went to the balcony and snatched the vial that still had some of the contents at the bottom. He stuffed if in his medicine pouch, and fallowed Elinana out into the light of evening.

After riding on Kicker, just to get away from the exit of the Lair, they sat on the grass and they melted against a tree. Then she crawled over, and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"Sorry for snapping at you." She mumbled. "I was just worried, and tired."

He polled her closer, and held her tightly, but gently.

"So was I." he looked over her shoulder to the rolling hills, wary for the men that wished her harm.

The confusing and threaten words swirled in his head. And he held her closer as the pain in his stomach twisted, and as his brain felt as if it as acting like the tentacles of an octopus.

**New record of longest chapter I've written! 4,342 words! **

**Again, say what you like, or dislike, or have a q. **

**Feedback is greatly appreciated! **


	21. Foxglove in the Heart

**I would like to apologize to my Italian readers if I miss use your beautiful language. I use translators, (embarrassed blush.) And Ezio's lullaby is Hushabye Mountain, (or, was meant to be (embarrassed blush.)) Again I lay no clams To Assassin's Creed, or the lullaby. **

**Hope you enjoy the story! Feedback appreciated! See you soon, school work is building, I need to punch it down! **

**And I will place my announcements here, to help keep the mood! **

As they rod, Ezio tried to ignore the twisting knot of his stomach. But after some time, the nausea began to make him squirm.

"Could you hold on any tighter?" he complained over his shoulder.

"Ezio," Elinana replied. "What is wrong? I barely have my arms around you." It was true. But she released her arms from around him, and instead steadied herself by griping the saddle from under her, and lightly grabbing his firm, shoulder.

They rode in silence, but he still squirmed now and then. Then he couldn't help but place his hand over his stomach.

"Ezio," Elinana softly said his name, sensing something was wrong. "Stop Kick, please."

Doing as she requested, he polled Kicker to a halt. She dismounted then waved for him to follow. He dismounted with some difficulty, and followed her to a stone bench under an olive tree. With the red and gold sun light setting the world ablaze.

Sitting down, she patted the stone, next to her. He sank heavily on the cold stone next her, feeling lethargy. She polled his hood off, and gazed at his clammy, pale face.

"What did they do to you?" she felt his forehead.

He rummaged in his medicine pouch, and then polled out the large green vial that Gasparo left for Elinana.

Taking the vial, she polled the cork out, and sniffed. She inhaled several times but smelt hardly anything. Lightly dipping her finger in the liquid, she hesitantly taped a small drop on her tongue. It was bitter, and slightly burned, but other then that, it had no distinctive flavor. She spat the poison out, and looked to Ezio who closed his eyes and wrapped his arms across his front.

"Was it just one vial?" she asked, trying to keep calm.

"Yes," he murmured.

She nodded, then stood and searched the rolling hills. Day…night! Her thoughts yelled. As if feeling her anxiety, Ezio rose and squeezed her shoulder. "Leonardo might be able to help." He walked to Kicker, doing his best to hide the symptoms of the mystery poison. She followed behind, feeling lost, and she had a felling it was only going to get worse.

The sun vanished, leaving an arch like crown of red, gold, plume, and indigo. And the stars winked into sight above them.

As the ride to Leo's workshop, the headache that pouched against several places all over in his head painfully progressed. And the painful twists of his stomach, seemed to be growing along to his intestines. Even his vision started to get fuzzy.

"Stop, halt! Why will you not listen to me?" Came Leonardo's voice from the left.

Flying over the rolling hills, galloped Hercules with a frantic Leonardo holding on for dear life. Elinana dismounted, and stood in Hercules's path.

"Get out of they way!" Leonardo yelled. "I have no control over the beast!"

"Herc!" she called out. "Stop scaring him, we need his help!"

Obeying, like some sort of large dog, he slowed to a gentle trot, and greeted her with a soft pouch of his noise to her shoulder.

"Yea, I was worried about you too, buddy." She hugged his neck, as Leo slide of his back.

"Quite a spirited beast!" Leo straitened his shirts.

"He does like you, it's just…" she then saw her journal in Leonardo's hand. Her eyes widened and fixed on him.

He saw her expiration, and looked to the journal. "Forgive me; my curiosity gets the better of me all the time." He handed her the journal. "Fret not Elinana, your secret is safe! And I have many questions I would like to ask you." he gestured to his workshop.

"Later, Ezio has been poisoned." She rummaged in her saddle bag for her herb book, as Ezio clumsily dismounted.

"There you are!" she proclaimed polling out the book. "Come on," she grabbed Ezio's hand and led him to the workshop.

Inside, it was lit only by a dying fire. Dark shapes hung by strings, and scrolls and papers cluttered the just about every surface.

"Forgive the mess; I hardly have very many visitors." Leo flung some loges on the dying flames.

"It is fine Leo," Ezio tried to sound cheerful. "Thank you for taking us in."

"Do not thank me just yet, brother." Leo started to light the candle sticks. "You only just entered the forest. And what is the poison?"

"We'll find out soon." _I hope_, she didn't add. She flipped through the pages to the poisonous plants, under light of the candles.

"Okay," she mumbled. "Tell me your symptoms."

Ezio squirmed on the stool, not likening to complain about pain, or illness. She lowered her hood, and eyed him with a raised brow. "Ezio, its not weakness to say what ails you." She dropped her gaze, and stared into the darkness. "And I can't believe I just said _'ails!'_" she slapped her face. "I've been stuck in the past too long, I'm starting to talk like you!" she laughed at herself.

"Is that so terrible?" Ezio smirked, seeing her attempt at diffusing the tension.

"Oh!" she remembered the vial. "Here," she handed it to Leo. "It's tasteless, well! Not quite, it's bitterer and has a burning after tastes. And has hardly any odor. What do you think?"

"Flowers," Leo replied after thinking, and swirling the contents around. "I studded some thing of this, and found that some of the poisonous flowers are odorless."

"Comparing, that with some of the symptoms that I've noticed. And yes, I've been around you enough to know what is normal, and is not." She glanced at Ezio, whose smirk failed.

"Leo, can he use your bed?" she asked, not taking her eyes from the pages.

"Of course," He walked to the far side of the room, as the fire started to come back to life.

"Are you going to tell me your symptoms, or not?" she asked softly.

"Blurry sight," he mumbled. And she stared at the page, just to have something to look at, and to make it easier for him to talk.

"Headache, stomach pain, nausea, and I am actually struggling to stay up right!" he gave a weak chuckle.

She nodded then found a passable mach. After reading the poison's symptoms, she walked over to Ezio, and stood before him. His eyes where closed, and he leaned heavily on the rickety stool and table. She lightly placed her ear to his heart, and hard his heart beat slower then normal. It even skipped a beat, which drew a sharp sigh from his lungs.

Rising her head she met his tired eyes. "I know what your poison is." Elinana returned to the book. "It's Foxglove."

"Foxglove?" Leo walked over to Ezio, to help him to the bed. But Ezio shoved him off. He walked to Elinana and placed his arm over her shoulders, and she led him to the bed.

Slumping onto the bed; it kecked under his weight, and he melted into the pillow. And she saw that this helped him, as his face relaxed. But there was still pain, though he hid it well.

"Try to wrest," she kneeled by the head of the bed. "I'll treat the symptoms as beast I can." She kissed his clammy forehead, and then went back to the book which Leo pored over.

"Elinana," Leo whispered, in her ear. "Foxglove poison can be fatal at the size of this douse."

"You don't think I don't know that?" her voice quietly trembled. "I've read every page of this book; I've done the math." She fought the tears that burned behind her eyes. "We just have to rely on his strong heart till we've made the antidote. So lets get started, instead of standing around like a pare of dummies."

Ezio bobbed from sleep, to the waking world. Every time he awoke, it was because it felt as if he was trapped in a water funnel, with his heart fighting to keep beating.

"_Stay with me." _He hard Elinana plead to him as he fought the waters. _"Don't you dare, go like this."_

Slightly opening his eyes, he saw her shimmering with a blue and white light that rippled like ribbons. And behind her, stood the dark form of Gasparo; engulfed with blackness. _"You are failing, Adam."_ He curled his long, clawed fingers around her throat. _"Remember she is a dead woman if you die. But of course, she is still one if you make it." _

Closing his eyes, he willed his heart to keep beating.

After a long night of making the antidote, and nursing Ezio; Elinana drowsily sat on an uncomfortable stool near Ezio. The antidote was nearly done, and just an hour ago Elinana remembered that everyone was looking for them. So she sent a pigeon bearing a letter to Ezio's Mother and Sister, saying that he was poisoned and is with Leonardo.

With Leo snoring away near the fire, Elinana suddenly found herself telling a story to Ezio.

"Once upon a time, in the future, there is a couple. They met at school when they where young and their love grew as the years passed. Then after seven years, they married and they never have been happiest in their lives. But they where missing something, and they was a child. But they found that she couldn't bear children.

But, on one storming night, they found a strangely dressed dead man, holding a baby. She was small, newly born, and cold as death. As they waited for help, they tried to warm her, even if it looked as if she would not last the nigh.

As they healed her, they fell in love with her. Then came morning, she was warm, and healthy. To everyone's dismay, save for the couple that found her.

When no one clamed her as their daughter, the couple adopted her; and raised her as if she was their own.

And they gave her the name of both of their mothers; Elinana, Cleo."

Elinana looked to Ezio's face, to find him gazing at her with slightly open eyes. And his hand found hers. Squeezing his hand, she gave him a weary smile.

The door suddenly opened, and Elinana leaped to her feet, knife drawn. But as soon as she reconceived Maria and Claudia, she sighed with relief and sheaved her knife.

"Ezio," Maria hurried over to his side, closely followed by her daughter.

Elinana gave them space, and checked the antidote. To her relief, it was finally ready.

"Who did this to my brother?" Claudia demanded.

"I don't really know, and my mind is too fogy to think about it. My only concern at present is your brother." she replied in mumble, as she poured the antidote into a cup.

Looking past Claudia, she saw Maria soothing Ezio's hair. Through the fog of drowsiness, she was shut by the cold icy truth like an arrow.

Then she handed the antidote to Claudia.

"Give him this," she murmured, looking at the floorboards. "And wake me if there is any change."

Claudia took the antidote, and retuned to the side of her brother, and mother. Seeing them, the arrow twisted along with an old dagger.

She went to the stabiles near by, and patted Hercules. Finding a fresh pile of hay, she melted onto the hay, and slipped into her memories as sleep took her.

"_freack!" _called a high, young girl voice.

"Hay freak!" a bland girl flanked by three other girls, marched up to a young Elinana, that of the age of seven. She looked up from her book to them.

"What are you reading?" the bland girl demanded with a snob voice.

"Whinny the Pooh." Elinana hugged it.

"Whinny," she sassed. "The Pooh."

"That is what I said, Beatriz."

Beatriz glared darkly at her, then tore the book from her arms.

"Give it back!" Elinana pleaded as they threw the book around.

"Why?" Beatriz sassed. "Every one knows that you are an orphan! That you are bad luck, and that orphans don't own anything; because they don't belong."

Tears burned in Elinana's eyes, and she backed away to the rough bark of a cottonwood.

"Beatriz!" yelled a boy that ran to Elinana's side. "Give the book back!"

"I don't take orders from savages!" she retoured.

"He is a Lakota, Triz!" Elinana snapped.

"Shut up freak!" she snapped.

"She is not the freak," the boy retorted. "You are, Triz."

Triz glared darkly at them both. "You want the book? You can have it!" she chucked it at Elinana's head.

She cried out in pain, and raised her hands to side of her forehead.

The dream blurred and faded to mist. Then it moved, and formed to a different memory. She laid on her parent's king sixed bed, wrapped in her mother's warm embrace.

Her mother's delicate hand soothed her chestnut hair, as she cried into her mother's bosom.

"It's alright baby girl." Anne's silky voice gently flawed to her ears.

"No," Elinana monad. "She is right, I am bad luck; to you, dad, Clay, my real parents, and to the man that you found me with when I was a baby. I'm bad luck to you all!" more tears flowed from her eyes.

"Elinana," her mother gently forced her to look into her violet eyes. "Cleo Doricent. You are not _bad luck_. Sometimes bad happens to good people. And it's not because you have good or bad luck." Anne lightly kissed Elinana's bandage. "You are my baby; you are smart, talented, beautiful inside and out. And you are a born fighter."

"_Hercules!"_ squawked Leonardo's voice, as her mother faded way, smiling. With her warm, strawberry lips; that lightly blazed with her naturally ruby red hair, against her snowy face.

"Elinana!" he called with desperation, and fustian "Ezio is awake, and he is asking for you!"

She rose, and rubbed her eyes. "I'll be right there!" she yawned. Shuffling out of the stables, she returned into Leo's workshop.

"Elinana," Ezio softly called to her.

She smiled to find him sitting up, with his back against the wall. As she approached, she noticed that he also has a substantial amount of color back.

"You look better." She sat next to him, and pooled her hood off. Ezio held back a laugh, seeing her messy hair.

Elinana looked to him, seeing him hide his amusement, she sighted. Running her fingers through her hair, she worked the brad out.

"I feel better, thanks to you and Leonardo." he smiled, and poled a single piece of straw from her robes.

Maria came over with bread, cheese, and worm milk for both of them. After saying thanks, Elinana hungrily ate her bread and cheese.

"When was the last time you ate something?" he asked, with a half eaten loaf and cheese in his hands.

Whipping away crumbs from her lips, she thought for a moment. "Lunch," she paused for a long moment. "Yesterday." She looked at her boots.

He shook his head, and sighed. Then opened his mouth to say something, but Claudia approached with crossed arms.

"Well, are you going to tell me why and how my last remaining brother nearly died?" she demanded, and the cold arrow returned.

"Claudia—"

"It's my fault." Elinana interrupted. "He drew their attention as I ran."

"Yes," Claudia said emotionless. "You ran, and he nearly died."

"Claudia," Ezio growled at his sister and rose to his feet. And they changed over to their native language.

"Stop!" Elinana rose. "Please, Ezio you haven't fully recovered." She lowered her eyes. "Get some more rest, I'll be in the stables." She left before he could stop her.

After an hour, Maria and Claudia left. Elinana approached Leo's workshop, and peeked in to see Leo snoring by the fire, and Ezio sleeping peacefully. Seeing him, her heart tightened painfully at what she was going to do.

Creeping quietly to Leo's supplies, she grabbed some sturdy paper and string. She also grabbed her herb book, and left a torn page of her journal near Ezio. Then left like a shadow.

In the light of the lanterns, she made a kite, and tied her key to the string, as a storm steadily grew. Not bothering to change, she packed her books, quill, and ink, and tied Hercules tightly to the post.

"I'm sorry, boy." she patted his nose, and then hugged his neck as lightning cracked the pitch black shy. And she jumped to the cannon like boom of thunder.

"I'm sorry." She wept, and then went out into the poring rain.

Ezio awake with a start, to what he thought was cannon fire. But gazing around the workshop, he recalled where he was. Then a pail piece of paper caught his eye. Bending over, he scooped it up and saw it was addressed to him.

Unfolding it he read:

"Dear Ezio,

I'm sorry for having to leave like this, but what happened _was _my fault. And, well, I came to hate good-byes. You will be fine in a fey more days, just take it easy. Take care of yourself and Hercules…" he skipped to the end. "I really am sorry for everything. But this is fore the best. Don't go looking for me. Buy the time you read this, I'll be gone..."

He threw it to the ground, and ran out into the cold, raging storm.

Fighting the humoring wind, and the stinging rain, she ignored Hercules's pleading whinnies.

"Elinana!" her eyes widened to the sound of Ezio's voice over the storm.

Looking over her shoulder, she saw him marching up to her. "Ezio, what are you doing? You could catch your death out here!"

"So could you!" he barked.

"Get back, Ezio!" she yelled in frustration

"After everything; you would just leave like a thief in the night, without so much as proper word of 'good-bye.'"

"Ezio, please." She wept. Then the world seamed to slow, and a twinge at the back of her neck screamed _"let it go!"_ and without meaning to, she let go. Some heart beasts later, a blinding flash exploded before her, then darkness, and silence engulfed her.

Elinana barley remembered what happened afterword. Nothing of Ezio's worried questions, or him guiding her back to Leonard's workshop.

When her wits did come back, she found herself wrapped in a blanket before the fire. She blinked and rubbed her sore eyes, and turned to the fire, but all she saw was a faint yellow and red glow that barely danced. Quickly closing her eyes, she held her terror, and tears back.

"Ezio?" she was surprised of how calm voice was.

"Elinana?" she herd his steppes quickly approach, and stopped before her. "Elinana, what is wrong? You would not reply to me or Leonardo." He gently squeezed her shoulders.

"Leo? We didn't jump?" she asked, not wanting to revile the fact that she could barely see.

"Yes," Leonardo answered to her left. "You both are still here in fifteen, o-four. But I noticed that you said nothing of feeling the storm coming."

She didn't have to see, to know that Ezio gazed at her with confusion.

"You did feel it, right?" Her silence was conformation enough for him. "Elinana what were you thinking; we do not know what that could have done!"

"I," she grew near a sob.

"And what was that nonsense about it being your fault?" his voice rose to nearly a yell.

"Because I'm back luck!" she cried. "Beatriz was right, I am bad luck, for you, Mom, Dad, Clay, Altaïr, everyone that I ever cared for! And I will never belong anywhere. Every time I felt that I could, the truth slaps me in the face. Saying 'you are an orphan; you will never know your own blood!"' Sharp sobs escaped through her hand.

Ezio stared at her, as if he was a boy that the just slapped. Recovering quickly, he rose, and gently polled her feet and guided her to the bed. Sitting down, he pooled her close. And let her sobs, and tears, flow onto his chest.

Then he softly sang a lullaby, in his musical native language.

"Potrai dormir al porto dei sogni  
là tra un po' la brezza verrà  
gli affanni tuoi, li prenderà il vento  
e svaniran nell'oscurità.

In riva al mar li aspetta una barca  
che li può portar via da te,  
il vento già le gonfia le vele  
tu le vedrai nell'ombra laggiù.

Saluterai i tuoi dispiaceri  
oramai lontani da te.  
Guarda poi salpar la tua barca  
per non tornar indietro mai più."

Before the lullaby ended, her sobs subsided, and she steadily was drawn into the arms of slumber.

Ezio lightly smiled down at her, then gingerly lied her down, and tucked her in under the blankets. Looking at her sleeping face, he couldn't help but wonder what she looked like when she was a little.

"Ezio," Leonardo whispered, and waved him over. Ezio softly treaded over.

"Did you know about—?" Leo whispered.

"I knew she had deep scars, but I did not how deep they ran, till now." He glanced over to the sleeping form of Elinana.

"We should not pry, and there are other pressing matures."

"The Followers of Romulus," Leo nodded.

"Sì, there was a man in black. Buy the name of Borgia."

"Borgia?"

"He clams the title, more or less. The man is just as crazed as the rest." He gazed to Elinana again. "The Bastardo directly threatened her life, and he is not afraid to kill and send others to their death. Which makes him that much more dangerous."

"You really care for this girl." Leo inquired.

Ezio turned to Leo, and found him self nodding. "In some ways, and many ways; I can not help but see myself in her, like she is a long last kin."

"Good," Leo smiled, resaving a sideways glance from Ezio. "Seeing the way you two look together, and look at one another—"

"We are not in a romantic relationship!" Ezio growled, lowly.

And Leo raised his hands. "I was merely curios because of your, _history_."

"No and neither should you." He growled, and pointed his index finger.

"Maybe you should rest."

Ezio glared at Leo, and realized that he was, existed. Turning away from Leo, he walked over to Elinana. Kneeling down, he wrapped his blanket around him, and lied on the floor, before the bed.

So if anyone comes for her. They would have to go through him, first.


	22. What Blind Eyes See

**Hello Reader! Things may get a bit crazy with this one. And it got a bit sticky here and there with the writing. **** But, hope you enjoy it!**

**Say what you like, dislike, or ask a q, once you've read! Feedback appreciated. **

Wrapped in warmth, the bubbling snores of Leonardo, reached Elinana's ears. She slowly opened her eyes. What she saw was a bright world that had no distinctive edge to any of the brown, white and yellow forms. Then the events of last night came flooding back. And she closed her eyes tight.

What should I do? She though. I can't keep it a secret for long, they will notice.

"Colomba," her head rose to the sound of Ezio's warm, deep voice.

"Ezio?" she feared to open her eyes, and to even keep them closed. "Is it morning?"

"Yes," she heard him moan as—what she thought— he sat up. "And it looks like we have a beautiful day ahead of us." She could hear the smile in his voice.

She pouched the fear down, and swallowed the lump in her throat, and sat up. The creak and moan of the bed hinted that he sat next to her.

"How are you?" she asked, placing her bear feet on he edge of the bed, and hugged her knees.

"Molto bene, grazie. How are you?"

She hesitated, and hugged her knees tighter. "Glade you are feeling better. But you should still take it easy, and no picking fights with the other kids!"

"Tell me what is wrong." He inquired softly, with his musicale accent.

She couldn't hide it any more, like lying; she couldn't poll through with it.

"There are two things you should never stare at, the sun. And what people never really think twice about." She stopped, with the cool roots of fear curling around her heart.

"Elinana," Ezio gently took her face in his large, warm, hands, and gingerly forced her to turn to him "Open your eyes."

"Now who is being the stubborn patient?" he grumbled, when she refused.

Elinana gave a small, sigh of a laugh, and then slowly opened her eyes. She watched his blurry form examine her eyes. And she shivered to the thought of never being able to see as well as before, again.

"I have seen blind eyes before, and yours looks the same as the day we met. But they only appear slightly bloodshot."

She breathed a small sigh of relief.

"Can you see anything at all?" he carefully asked.

"Yes," she nodded slightly. "I can see, but it's extremely blurry."

She heard him sigh with relief, and then kissed her forehead. Closing her eyes, she wrapped her arms around his firm middle, and cuddled close.

Relaxing his muscles, he embraced her, and placed his bristly cheek to the side of her head.

"Remember what we discussed last night?" she heard Leonard rise.

Ezio gently broke away. "Yes, Leonardo." His voice rumbled, as the bed creaked with relief. "But it turns out as if the lightning strike has impaired her sight."

She didn't see Leo's look of bewilderment, but it was indicated in his voice.

"You can not see anything?"

"I can see, but it's extremely blurry, like I said to him." She replied, and pointed to Ezio's left.

"Where is your book?" Leo asked, with the floor squeaking under foot steps of Leo or Ezio.

"It's in my satchel, but there is nothing that could help. Believe me, I've read every page."

"Then it looks as if we will just have wait, and see if they heal on their own." Leo stated, and what she presumed; he walked over to her and kneeled in front of her.

"May I?" he asked. Sighing she opened her eyes, and saw his red, and blond form.

"Do they hurt at all?"

"Only a bit, when they are open." She closed her eyes.

Leo hummed in thought, and rose. After some squeaking of the floorboards, he returned and placed a cloth over her eyes, and tied it behind her head.

"There," he proclaimed. "We will test your eyes again this evening, and again tomorrow. Till then, do not attempt to use your eyes."

Sighing through her nose, she heard the floor squeak as Leonardo walked away, and Ezio approached. And the bed creaked as he sat next to her.

"Well," she rubbed the back of her neck. "I totally have no idea what to do with myself."

"Tell me about your home." the bed moaned, hinting that he leaned back against the wall.

"Home," she mused. "It's not as impressive as I bet your home was. But, it was where I took my first steps, where I dreamed, where I cried, laughed, sang, and played. All my life, I lived in the same four walls.

It sat on the edge of my home town, and it looked out west, over the farmer's fields, nestled perfectly, in a small forest of oaks, cottonwood, pines, and spruces. That protected us from the harsh, north winter wind.

I loved to run among them, and pretend that I was a—" she stopped herself, before she said something that Ezio would never stop teasing her about.

"You would pretend you where a, _what?_" she could hear his smile.

"Nope! You would just laugh." she crossed her arms.

"You pretended that you where a Princess." He guessed. And Elinana played with the rim of her blanket.

Her silence was conformation that he guessed right, and he couldn't help but laugh.

"You're laughing a bit too hard there, buddy." She grumbled sarcastically. But he only laughed harder. Shaking her head, he steadily started to control his laughter.

"You done?" she grumbled.

"For now." He replied with a grin that she couldn't see. "What does your father do for a living?"

"He's a Firefighter." She replied. She didn't have to see, to tell that she lost him. "He and his team put-out fires, and rescue people from burning buildings."

"He must be a brave man, to do such a thing for a living." Leo stated, as he approached. And placed, what she guessed was a chair to her left.

"He is," she replied, with some amount of pride for her Father.

"Once, when I was still vary little, the home of the woman that was babysitting me, had caught fire. She tried to find me, but I had made a nest in a cloths hamper. My Father's fellow Firemen looked every where, but they didn't find me. When everyone thought I was dead, he kept looking for me. And he did, but as he carried me out, the house started to give way, and he suffered a burn along his left cheek. But that was extent of ignores resaved that day."

"I see why you think your 'bad luck.'" Leonardo satiated, and resaved a warning glare from Ezio.

"And that isn't even the half of It." she murmured. "But, there is a not every well known saying where I'm from: The most damaged people, are the wisest. The saddest people, smile the brightest. And the loneliest people, are the kindest."

Hearing the quote, Ezio couldn't help but compare some of it to him self, and most of it to her.

"Words of wisdom; spoken on the lips of an Angel." Leonardo mused.

"I'm not an 'angel.'" She grumbled. "Angels don't have scared backs, only humans."

"I'm starting to wonder if Ezio might be your ancestor."

"What! There in sweet Narnia did you come up with that?" she asked, flabbergasted.

She heard the floor squeak. "You both are not easily sawed; if at all." He replied.

"Where are you off to?" Ezio asked.

"Just running an errand and it may take most of the morning."

"Fine, have a care Leonardo."

"You should listen to your own advice sometime." She heard the door open and close, and then Ezio grumbled in Italian.

**Evening**

Elinana sat still by the fire, as Ezio untied the cloth. When the cloth lifted, she felt the coolness of the air kiss her eyelids. Opening her eyes she saw the blurry form of Ezio, kneeling before her.

"Well?" Ezio asked.

"Still blurry," she replied. "But its better and they aren't sore anymore."

He smiled, and gently kissed her forehead.

"Molto bene!" Leonardo proclaimed. "Soon you will be out on the rooftops with the others!"

"Speaking of which!" Elinana proclaimed, as Ezio tied the cloth back over her eyes. "If my sight returns—"

"_When,_ it returns." Ezio corrected her.

"I challenge you to a race!" she smirked.

He leaned near her ear. "I accept, Poco Colomba. Now off to bed."

"Who named you Dad?"

"I'm not your father, I'm your Master."

"Mentor."

"Don't argue with me." His musical voice rumbled, as he guided her to the bed, then tucked her in.

"Good nigh, Leo!" she called.

"I am not sleeping just yet." he replied. "I have some things I need to work on."

"Don't stay up all night then." she replied, as Ezio lied down on the floor below her, and polled the blanket to his chine.

"Good night, Ezio." she murmured.

"Buona notte, sorellina." He replied in the darkness. Then she drifted off, into the dark silence.

Elinana ran in dimly lit halls of the underground Labyrinth. Chilling echoes of distorted howls and growls chased her. Along with an ink black shadow, that engulfed the passage behind her.

As she ran, her thoughts cried with fear, and desperation: "Brothers, Mon, Dad I can't find the exit!"

The shadow grew closer, and closer, then she fell into the darkness. Time seemed to slow, with her hair waving slowly like a flag. Her body fell weightless in the dark nothingness.

Movement at the corner of her eye compelled her to look to the left. Running in the dark nothing was the brown wolf from the dream she had just before Abbas's interrogation. She tried to reach out, but her body wouldn't move. All she could do was watch him run to her.

As he neared, he opened his mouth, and then gingerly caught her. Just as this happened, they where back in the Labyrinth. But the wolf didn't falter his powerful fast strides. Then a white light blinded her, and the wolf slowed to a halt. Blinking against the light, she soon found her self in a meadow filled with colorful wildflowers, with the soft songs of birds in the air.

Gingerly placing her down, the wolf backed way a little. Then seemed to ask her with his deep brown eyes: if she was hurt or if he hurt her.

"I am fine, I think." She rolled to her side, and tried to rise. But it was then that she saw, not arms, but wings; snow white wings, with elegant, long, slender feathers.

"What in the world?" she yelped.

Finally on her feet, she looked up to his handsome painted face.

"It's been a while, old buddy!" she greeted. "Are you just a figment of my imagination, or are you an actual person like Desmond?"

He slightly tilled his head with confutation, but it actually made him cute.

"And you can't understand me," she mumbled. "Brilliant, just brilliant!"

She looked about the meadow, then looked back at the wolf that surveyed the area with narrowed eyes. Reminding her of how Ezio searches for foes.

Walking up to the wolf, she patted his leg with her wing; he whipped his head down to her.

"Calm down there big fella', I think—" she stopped at the sound of twigs snapping.

The wolf tensed, and slightly snarled to the trees. Then the man wolves slowly emerged, flanking the crazed Templar guard, and a man that she didn't know. But she could see from his clothes, he was from the 18th century.

"Greetings, savage." The stranger snarled.

The wolf growled fiercely at the man.

"It seems you found yet another one of your Adams, Little Dove." The Templar taunted her.

"Okay, baddy, time to go." she tapped his leg.

The wolf gave a fierce bark, and bolted for the stranger. The wolf men leaped for him with their curved nails that seemed more like claws, and bleared their knife like fangs. But they flowed around him, and converged on her.

Flapping her wings she turned and ran. "Wolf guy!" she yelled. "Some help would be nice!"

Just as she felt the rancid breath of a wolf man on her back, a shrilling streak of a Hawk sounded above, along an angry call of an Eagle.

Gentle talons plucked her up into the air, and carried her to the top branches of a tree. Gingerly placing her down she saw a white Hawk give her a warm look then dove back down to the fight.

She watched the two birds of pray hold up their end, and the wolf fighting his way to the calm stranger. From her perch, she noticed that the wolf men's blood was black like ink, and that when they died they turned to black ooze.

Soon the once beautiful meadow was stained black; and the only ones that remained, was the birds of pray, the wolf, along with the two Templers.

"Come at me, mutt!" yelled the stranger.

The black stained wolf charged, as Elinana and the two others called out a warning. But he charged all the same, and he failed to see rifle swing for his head. With a yelp of pain, he fell to the black, wet ground.

The white Hake and the Golden Eagle exchange a look, then flew to the wolf's add.

Elinana saw the net, but called out too lat. And they both fell under the thick rope.

"No!" she gasped, and then dove for the crazed Templar, with heat in her eyes. She drove her needle like talons into his yes, and he swung at her, howling in pain.

She provided enough of a distraction for the wolf to reach his fangs up to the Templers hand. With howl of pain he staggered back, and then the wolf leaped for his throat.

As this happened, Elinana hit the black wet ground, and rolled with the angry howls of the Templar.

"I'll kill you, you little—!" just then the wolf leaped for his throat, and he fell to black ooze.

She and the wolf panted, and then the sun light grew brighter, brighter. The two under the net streaked a call, and the wolf ran to her with concern in his eyes as the light engulfed her.

Sunlight shone on to her closed eyes. Elinana hummed a moan, as she hugged the pillow. With her face against the fabric, she heard Ezio groan as he rose.

"Elinana," he said sternly, but softly. "Why did you take of your bandage?"

She hummed, and yawned. Then drowsily sat up, and blinked and rubbed the night from her eyes.

"Man," she grumbled. "That was a weird dream." she drowsily looked to Ezio, with messy hair that drew a giggle from her.

"What?" he grumbled.

"Nice hair." She giggled.

His eyes widened, as a smile grew. "You can see."

His words hit her like a splash of water.

"I can see." She echoed, and smiled, and looked about the Leo's mess. Then she smirked to some ideas that popped up in her head.

Leaping from the bed she lightly ran for a blank piece of paper, and grabbed the nearest inkwell and quill. Then started to draw—scribble—on the paper.

"What are you up to?" Ezio asked near her ear.

"Trying to draw, shh!" she waved him away.

He stepped back, and looked over her shoulder, and puzzled at her, _art_. Then she lied the quill down. "Well I never was good at drawing, oh-well!" she then looked around for her robes, boots, and gear.

As she dressed, Ezio looked at her drawing, and he didn't know what to make of it.

"Elinana," Ezio asked over his shoulder. "Is this from your home time, the future?"

She stepped to his side as she wrapped her sash around her waist. "Yea, but my artistic skills are pathetically poor."

Leaving his side, she balled up her chestnut hair and polled her dusty sky blue hood up. Then pouched open the door, and was greeted by the bright, cheerful morning sun.

"What!" Ezio called after her. "Where do you think you are going?"

"I've been cupped up for days, the air call is calling, 'Colomba.'" She smiled over her shoulder, and then kicked of running.

"Elinana!" Ezio called, all too aware of her peril that larked somewhere. But Elinana ran; she ran with the wind kissing her face from under her hood. She ran with the bliss of freedom, and sight.

In the shadows, Gasparo watched Elinana fly across the rooftops fallowed by Ezio; from afore. A twisted smile curled up, across his lips from under his pitch black hood.

I have you now. He though. Eve.


	23. Whispered Echos

**Hello Reader! As you'll read, things will get a tad crazy again. And I don't own Mario or** **Luigi. And I based Rosemary, on Susan Sarandon. **

**And I real do like to see people leave comments, it lets me know that I'm not righting to a brick wall. **

**Enjoy! **

Desmond heard the familiar heave, and groans of a hangover coming from the bathroom. He had is share of the unpleasant experience, and he always preferred to suffer through it alone.

He noticed that they where starting to need some things, so he made a small list, and left a note for Rick.

Walking alone, he took in the green lawns, the colorful flowerbeds, and the touch of air that was fresher then that of New York.

He knew that the Templers where still hunting him, but he couldn't help but fell _safe_ in Elinana's home town.

Come to think of it. He thought. I never expected to make it this far without being found or caught. Either I'm why better at hiding then I thought, or I'm missing something.

He slowed in front of a Diner that was just opening. A plump old man that could easily be passed as Santa, waved, and smiled warmly at him. Stepping out the man approached.

"A fine morning we're having!" he stated cheerfully. "I'm Larry." He offered his hand.

Desmond hastate for a moment, still not quit use to the good nature of the people here. But he took the man's hand, and did his best at smiling.

"You must be the one that is staying with Rick. Desmond, right?"

Desmond nodded.

"Still nothing on Ely?"

"No, sorry." Desmond rubbed the back of his neck. Shame tugged at him, as he remembered the dream of her running in a maze of fire.

"Well, till then. I'll keep praying for her." the man rubbed his hands.

"Morning Des!" Sara quickly cutting across the nearly quiet street, wearing her black leather jacket, and worn denim pants that where tore at the knees. "Morning Lar!" she hugged the plump man while balancing her coffee.

"mornin', got fresh pies ready to be ate."

"Pecan?" she asked with a smile.

"Yes ma'am!"

"Des, have you had any of Lar's pies?"

"No."

She grabbed his wrist, and polled him into the Diner. "Des my friend, you have not lived, till you have had one of Lar's pies!"

The next thing he knew he was sitting at the bar, next to Sara, ordering blueberry pie.

"Rick working out his hangover?" she asked.

"Yep." He replied.

"I'm glad you're there," she stated. "Losing Anne, now Elin disappearing or kidnapped, or what ever the heck is going on. He is a strong guy, but there is only so much one man can take."

Silence grew, till Larry came back with the pies.

"here ya' go." he placed the pie pieces down, before them. And Desmond's mouth watered to the sweet smell of blueberries. As he took the first fork full, he understood why Elinana loved blueberries.

"Hoy, gooys," Sara said with a mouth of pie, then swallowed. "When I was at Rosemary's, I heard that we have a pointy nosed reporter pocking around about Ely's disappearance. Which really ticks me off, because no has any right poking around like this!" she grumbled angrily.

"Can't be, the authorities just about gave up. And stamped her a runaway, kidnapped, or—." Larry stopped unable to say the last bit.

"She's alive," Desmond stated, not really meaning to, but it felt like the truth. "You said that she is clever."

"Yes," Sara played with a pecan nut. "She passed every thing school through her way, she was even thinking about going to Stanford."

"See, she'll find her way back."

Silence grew then Larry broke it. "Well Melanie had her forth baby!" Larry proclaimed proudly.

"She did?" Sara smiled. "You must be a proud, of your girl!"

Larry beamed, in reply.

After eating his pie, Desmond searched in his pocket. "How much Lar?"

"Don't worry Des, it's my treat." She placed down a bill.

He opened his mouth to argue, but Larry stopped him. "Des let her. She is the most stubborn person in the county."

A slight smile touched his lips. "Thank you, both of you."

"Came back any time!" Larry waved as they left.

"One last thing, Rosemary has this _amazing_ herd blend that knocks the hangover clean out of you."

"Really?"

"Yep! Well, see ya at twelve!" she waved as she walked away. "Say hay to Rick for me!"

"Will do!" he replied.

Desmond had never been to Rosemary's Café. But he didn't expect it to be colorful with dream catchers is the widows, along with flowers and hanging beads.

"Good grief," he mumbled. "She was a tree hugging _hippy_."

He took a deep breath, and then pouched the door open. He was hit by the mixed smells of coffee, and herbs, and greeted by soft, faint music, and the jingle of the over head bell. The interior was colorful, but it gave off a comfortable warmth.

He made his way to the front, where middle aged woman was brewing coffee. Her honey mane was lightly touched by gray, and was held out of her lightly wrinkled face by a plum and gold designed scarf.

She handed the paper cup to a chocolate skinned girl that stared her phone. "Enjoy!" her voice purred like a cat.

She smiled to him, then asked; "Good morning, what would you like?"

"I heard from Sara Andrews, that you have a tea thing that helps hangovers."

"You must be Desmond." She purred. And he stiffened; falling back into an old habit.

"You're more handsome then Sara described." She smiled playfully. Making him feel warm, and out of place.

"Judging from the way you are vertical, it's for Richard. Am I right?"

He nodded. And she softly laughed.

She polled a glass gar from a shelf full of various herbs, and placed it on the counter to his left. As she reached for a tea bag below in a basket, the words of a snob voice reached her ears, and Desmond's.

"First you should know," said a blond teen, with plump red lips, and cold ice blue eyes. "She never belonged here, she always kept to herself, she cheated in class, and she once forced her self onto my boyfriend."

"Really?" inquired a woman, with a small pointed nose, and short cut sandy hair that made her look like a boy. "The people that I've talked to said that she was an 'Angel.'"

"Well, she is a deceitful little witch that was found in the arms of a dead man, and she brought her bad luck onto the poor Doricent family."

"You hold her accountable for Mrs. Doricent's censer, the fire of Miss Andrews's home, and the hornet incident when she was still very, very young?"

"Yes, but has any one told you about Clay Kaczmarek?"

Rosemary pouched her anger down, and then carefully poured the herb blend in the small sack. But Desmond listened closely to the conversation, with anger and confutation swirling around.

"No, who is he? Her uncle, cousin?"

"Cousin. On Mrs. Doricent's side, everyone knows that he had psychological problems—,"

"Just ignore them." Rosemary murmured handing him a small brown, paper bag. "Give them attention, and they know that they are ticking you off."

"Clay Kaczmarek was Elinana's cousin?" he quietly asked in utter disbelief.

"Yes, as you heard, on her mom's side. But it sounds like you know him."

"I knew of him, and I guess you could say I met the guy." He rubbed his face.

"He's dead. Isn't he?" she leaned on the counter to his left, her arm nearly touching his.

"Yea," he sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Not to me," she saw the blond girl wave for her to come. "Say it to Rick and Elinana when she comes home."

She strolled around the counter, with her brown and gold skirt flowing with her every move.

Desmond puzzled so deeply he didn't notice Rosemary brew up a raspberry cappuccino.

"Hay, hay Desmond!" she whispered with a mischievous smile. Broken from his thoughts, he stared at her.

"Want to know a secret ingredient me and Elinana put in Beatriz's coffee?" she glanced over his shoulder to make certain Beatriz was looking the other way. Then she quickly spat into the coffee.

He was shocked, but more amused then anything.

"Would you like to give her a special gift?" she smirked, and brought it a bit closer to him. He glanced over his should, then spat a good sized saliva ball.

"Nice!" she quickly placed a lid on the paper cup. "Elinana and I could never get one at that size." She smiled, then went to Beatriz, and gave it to her. "Enjoy!"

He starred at her in disbelief with a smile. "How much is the hangover cure?"

"Five bucks." She replied. And he handed her a seven.

Smiling, she grabbed his hand before he got out of reach. She examined his palm, and then glanced up at him.

"I knew you where special the moment I saw you. You have traveled far, and seen much. Not just with your own eyes, but through others." Desmond stiffened in shock, unable to tare his hand free. Or look away from her enchanting violet eyes that seemed to pear strait through him.

"But your journey is far from over_. Only she remains to be found_."

The memories of the first Civilization tomb came flooding back; the Apple, the golden light, his hidden blade, Lucy's blood, and Juno's orders._ "Awaken the sixth!" _

Darkness swallowed his mind. In the darkness, a violet rose slowly fell from a white passing dove. And the rose landed in his hand.

"_Do what I could never do Desmond,"_ Clay's voice quietly echoed, as if whispered in a long tunnel. _"Protect her. Then sacrifice her, so she may be free to learn; hidden under the cress." _

"_Desmond,"_ Rosemary's voice called to him in the darkness. "Desmond,"

The smells of the Café hit him, and he drowsily opened his eyes to see Rosemary kneeling beside him.

"Hay there," she smiled. "You felling okay?"

"The man fainted, of course he is not!" The reporter snapped.

He pouched himself to a sitting passion. He ignored the nagging reporter, as he rose to his feet. "I'm fine, I-," he leaned on the counter, inwardly cursing the Bleeding Effect.

"_What a freak."_ He whipped his head to his right to see Beatriz sulking.

"I'm fine." He repeated, then grabbed the paper bag and left, not looking back, and totally forgetting the small list in his pocket. And not paying attention to his surroundings, as he walked back the Doricent home.

"Desmond?" Rick sat up on the sofa. "You look terrible."

Desmond handed the bag to Rick. "For your hangover."

"Rosemary did a reading for ya." He stated. "Go shower, and rest, before you have to go and work."

Desmond nodded, still shock up from what happened at the Café, and made his way up stairs to the bathroom.

A black, new moon sat in the star winking, dark indigo blanket, high over a lone rider astride a bay stallion.

Gasparo fallowed the shadowy dirt path, till he came upon a crossroad. He waited, and waited. Then of over the rolling hills, came the echo of horse hooves, thundering closer. Two shadows galloped his way, as they grew near they slowed till they halted before him.

"Gasparo," addressed the plump rider. "Your time in Roma has mad you cantankerous. That much I gathered from your message."

"Mario," Gasparo smirked. "You grew, since last we met. But in the wrong direction."

Mario looked at his blubbery stomach, and chuckled. But the other rider thundered with laughter.

"I see your time in the city hasn't dimed your silver tongue!" howled the rider.

"Nor has your wife changed the way you bellow, Luigi."

That time Mario thundered with laughter. "It's good to see you again Brother. It hasn't been the same without you."

They all dismounted then roughly embraced, with hard slaps to the backs.

"Where is the caravan?" Gasparo asked.

"A day's ride behind." Luigi answered.

"Good, every thing is falling into place just as I planed."

"What _is_ the plan, Gasparo?" asked Mario.

"All in do time my brothers, all in do time." He mounted the horse, and polled the beast back in the direction he came.

"You're going already? But—," Mario protested.

"I still have other maters to attend to, brothers."

"What sort of a girl is your prey, a Princess?"

"No, she is part of the old order."

He stared of over the black horizon. "She is a Sister of the Assassins."

The two brother's eyes widened, as Gasparo kicked the side of the horse, then rod over the rolling hills. Eyes fixed on the distant city that hid the nest in which Elinana slept dreamlessly, guarded by assassins; hidden in the shadows.


	24. Hidden Pain

**Sorry if its short, but I wanted to give you guys a chapter. Enjoy, and leave a comment! **

A golden sun sat between the height of noon, and the low horizon. The city of Rome bustled about below. Flying from rooftop to rooftop ran Elinana, in her dusty sky blue, and indigo robes. Fallowing her, just below the rooftops, and above the streets, ran a white and crimson shadow.

The Coliseum grew as she and the shadow raced. Then she saw a flock of pigeons parched on the edge of a roof that seemed to mark the end of the race. Her lungs burned, her lags started to grow tired, but she pouched herself to run faster; cutting the air the way Altaïr thought her. And she couldn't help but remember a time when she, and him would race side by side.

The flock took the air as she spared her arms out, lags together. For a breath moment, she felt the sensation of flight. Then gravity pooled her down to the earth, and she landed in a cart full of hay, with a hissing thud.

Poking her hooded head out of the hay, she saw Ezio smile proudly at her as he walked over, and offered her his hand. Taking it, she leaped out, taking some amount of hay with her. Looking down at her robes, she sighted at the hay that stuck to her, and then brushed them away.

"We need to find something else to hide and land in, other then hay." she panted, as Ezio helped remove the hay. "It's really a bother to get off." She complained.

"Yes, well it is a small price to pay, for its usefulness." He replied with his deep, musical voice. "It is in good supply all over the city, and country land." He polled a bit of straw from the tail of her braid.

"Altaïr said much the same; last time I complained about It." she murmured.

Ezio's smile wilted. She hardly ever spoke of the old Assassin, or his family, or anything of time she spent in Masyaf. But anytime she did reflect on the past, sadness would shadow her like an over head cloud. Like now; beneath the cover of her hood.

"Is the morning training over?" she shoved the shadow off, and lightly smiled. But it wasn't a complete _true_, smile.

"Yes," he smiled warmly. "The Day is yours. But I would like to discuses some maters with you, as we walk." He gestured to a dirt path.

"Am I in trouble? If it's about that guard; he came out of no where!" her voice elevated.

"No, you are not in trouble." He replied calmly. "Why is it that you assume you are in trouble, ever time I wish to have a word with you?"

"I don't know! It's the first thing that pops up to my head." she rubbed the back of her neck.

"What I wish to speak to you about is Dante."

Elinana halted dead in her tracks. And he stopped a foot ahead of her. Turning to her, he could make out her anger, and annoyance.

"Don't tell me," she pinched the bridge of her noise. "He asked you, how to ask _me_ out."

"Ask you out?" Ezio echoed slowly in confusion.

"Yes! Ask me out! Court me!" she explained, not hiding her announce. "I bloody tried to tell him that I wasn't attracted to him. But apparently the language barrier is the bloody size of the Grand Canyon!"

"Calm your self," he placed a warm hand on her shoulder. "There is no need to get riled up the way you do, when it comes to what others think of you."

She swatted his hand away, and gave him a dark look. "No need?" she growled. "You don't know what I put-up with for years. Not standing up for myself; taking the abuse like every ones bunching bag!"

Ezio felt as if she slapped him. Then she realized what she did, just like the day he was poisoned. And she inwardly cursed herself for laying her pain out on him. So, like she always did when she hinted her pain to Clay, she pouched it down.

"I'm sorry," her voice broke. "It's not far of me to take my pain out on you."

He closed the distance, brushed her hood away, and gently forced her to look him in the eyes.

"How long has the abuse lasted?" he asked warmly, and firmly.

She lowered her gaze to his chest. "Nearly all my life." she mumbled.

"Did you ever tell your parents?" his voice gently rumbled.

"No," she quietly replied, and let her words wander. "No one as openly or plainly as you…I told Mom for a time, but when her health got worse, I stopped. Dad always tried to get me to talk, but I never did. But Clay was the only one, other then you that I ever really told."

Yet again, she surprised him at how much she hid. "Why?" he asked. "Why do you hurt yourself by not letting your pain out? Why do you keep it locked away?"

"Because I'm afraid that I would break, and that I would never be able to put myself back together."

He sighed and shook his head. "You would not break. If there is anything that I know about you; it is that you are strong, maybe even stronger then I."

A weak smile touched her lips. "I disagree." She mumbled.

He huffed through his noise. Releasing her chin, he turned away shaking his head. "You may know, and have seen things that a fool would call _magic_. But you take blame that is not yours." He turned to her. "You carry pain, that you should have let go, long before now."

Just as she opened her mouth, he stopped her with his own words. "I know it seems like an impassible task, but you can let _some_ of it go." he made a firm stance, and held his palm out to her. "Hit me."

"What?" she asked.

"Pretend my hand is the ones who have hurt you."

She shook her head. "I'm not going to hit you."

"Come on…piccola signora." He taunted lightly.

Making a fist, she hit his palm. He shook his head. "Hit like you mean it!"

Taking a deep breath, she hit his palm harder. "For calling me a freak," She whispered, then hit again. "For saying it was my fault Mom was sick." Two more hits. "For saying it was my fault she died." Her voice rose. "For say it was my fault Clay left!" Three more hits. "That I was bad luck!" she hit harder. "And that I didn't belong anywhere!" she hit his palm so hard; Ezio hid the fact that it hurt.

Elinana panted, as she massaged her knuckles. "Did you hurt your hand?" he asked warmly.

"I'm fine." she replied, then raised her hood. "Did I hurt _you?_"

He shook his head. "I still would like to speak to you about Dante, if you wish."

"Fine." she walked up to his side, and they strolled down the path.

"If language is such a problem, I could translate for you and the boy."

"Thanks." She murmured.

He nodded, and then rubbed his whiskery chin. "What now?" she asked.

He glanced to her at the corner of his eye. "I may regret this, but… are you even attracted to men?"

She halted, feeling as if a sledgehammer hit her square in the face. "Of course I'm attracted to men! Or I else I wouldn't have had a crush on Taylor Lautner or Adam Beach; when he played as Squanto." Her voice lowered timidly, as she explained.

"A crush?" he asked.

"You know," she timidly rubbed her neck, as her cheeks grew a rosy hue under the shadow of her hood. "To be fond of, or attracted…" she felt awkward talking to him about this, infect she _never_ admitted to having a crush on the two actors, to anyone.

Also felling awkward, Ezio remembered what he heard the other assassins whispering about the caravan of Romani just inside the walls of Rome.

"Do you still have carnivals in the future?" he asked, smiling under his hood.

"Course we do, why?" she inquired, looking to her Mentor.

"There is a caravan of Romanies camping near the south-west gate."

"Romanies?" she asked in confusion.

"You would probably know them better as Gypsies."

"Hmm," she mused. "Is it an advancer I smell?" she asked in mischievous manner. He chuckled, then raised his fingers to his mouth and blow a loud, height pinched whistle.

Elinana stirred at him with envy. Caching her gazed, he asked, "Is something wrong?"

"No," she replied, kicking dirt. "I was just whishing I could whistle. All I can do is blow air. Like this." She formed a small o with her lips, then blow; but no whistle. "See? Can whistle worth a hoot." Her sarcastic tone mad her words swing.

Kicker trotted up to Ezio from around the bend behind them. And greeted him with a head butt to his back; making him stumble slightly but he recovered quickly.

Eyeing Kicker with a sideways glance, he mounted and offered his hand for Elinana. Rolling her eyes, she took his hand and leaped up behind him. Wrapping her arms around his iron like middle, he urged Kicker into a trot.

"Before you offer me how whistle, you should know that others have tried and failed." She informed Ezio over his shoulder. They bounced as Kicker trotted along the dirty cobblestone path, was they pasted vary few people.

"That much is evident!" Ezio chuckled, and glanced over his shoulder to her. "I could try to teach you." He offered seriously.

"I don't know, with training, and Italian lessens; whistling will just be a waste of time. And I don't mind it, really."

"My offer will stand; refused or not." He warmly smiled.

They rod in comfortable silence, then Elinana peeked over Ezio's broad shoulder to see colorful wagons, and tents rising like umbrellas, and people going about their business. He polled Kicker to a halt, near to the Romani camp, but not so close as to be in the way. Elinana dismounted, closely followed by Ezio.

He firmly wrapped his hand around her hers. "Stay close to me, I don't want you wandering off alone, comprendere?"

"Yes, Dad." She sarcastically retorted.

"Mind that attitude of yours, Apprentice." He stated sternly, pointing his index finger.

It wasn't what she expected; she expected to hear music, to see exotic dancers, colorful fabrics used as cornets or small tents. But what they where greeted by was dark, slightly curious looks of working men and woman of various ages. There was of course colorful, exotic fabrics, but like to people, they offered no welcome. Not the elderly men who sat around a fire, not even the children who immediately ran from their play as they saw the two assassins.

"Is to just me, or are you getting the same vibe, that we aren't welcome?" she murmured in low voice, leaning near to Ezio.

"They are Romanies, Elinana." He softly replied, matching her volume. "They live a life as hard, as the rode that lead them here."

"Your right," she mumbled. "I just jumped to the same assumption as everyone else."

He patted her shoulder. But she was right, he was told that the Romanies where allies of the Brotherhood, but like Elinana pointed, they seemed to distaste their presents.

"Perhaps we should come again, in a day or two," _Or not at all._ He suggested, gently guiding her back to there they left Kicker. "When they have steeled, and rested." _Once I am sure that they mean no harm, and really are friends. _

Just then, the voices of men grew. Looking to the commotion, Elinana's eyes widened with shock, and horror.

In an ever moving ring of yelling men, stood a Black Bear; his broken but deadly claws reached for any foolish man who gets too close. His ebony coat was dirty and held no shine in the sunlight. His brown low jaw and his black mussel held old and new scars, and around his neck, a large iron chain and collar.

Elinana couldn't take in air, her limbs felt like they there stone, and her voice was trapped in her throat.

How? Her thoughts asked, as time seemed to slow. How? _Does it really mater?_ Her conscience snapped. _What maters is what will you do?_

As she pondered, Ezio sensed her tension, and gently tightened his grip on her hand. But just then, a man hooded and cloaked in black, emerged from the shadows of a nearby tent.

In a split secant, Ezio wrapped his arm around Elinana—just as she was about to charge the men—then threw a smoke bomb to the ground. Practically carrying the coughing Elinana to Kicker, he flung her on the ginger mere's back, and then leaped up behind her. Then urged the horse into a full out gallop.

Even with the rushing air flowing in her face, she still coughed the strange smelling smoke from her lungs. "What," she coughed in-between words. "In, sweet, Middle, Earth, is wrong? Did you, see a Nazgûl, or something?"

"What was I thinking?" he grumbled to himself.

"Ezio," she muttered.

"Bringing you out here, away from our Brothers; my age must be affecting my judgment."

"Ezio!" she held a small black feathered dart in her quivering hand.

His hold on her tightened, as his heart beat in tuned with Kicker's hooves. "You will fine," he looked over his shoulder to see Gasparo flanked by Followers of Romulus. Could this day get any better? His sarcastic thoughts sounded a little too mush like Elinana.

"Stay awake!" he ordered near her ear, making her sit up a bit. But she continued to slouch, and lean forward.

"Elinana, non voglio vederti morrire in giorno!" But his words fell on deaf ears, as the drug poled her into darkness. He felt her drift away and Kicker's pace starting to grow weary.

He slowly released his hold on her; then he leaped off, and drew his long curved sword. Standing his ground he threw small draggers to the pagan hounds, and they fell with an imitated wolf howl.

Gasparo halted before Ezio, and dismounted. "To be honest, I didn't expect you to visit so early." He drew his sward and a curved dagger. "But, lucky for you and Eve, I am always prepared."

Having enough of the mad-man, Ezio sprinted forward with deadly force; of years of training and fighting. Their blades met with a loud clank, and they fought with speed and deadly grace. They where evenly matched, but Ezio noticed something. Gasparo smiled under his hood.

"What are you smirking at, bastardo?" Ezio growled.

"Just wait a moment, then you'll see." He replied with a broad smile.

A chill touched Ezio's back, as he noticed the sting in the left bicep. Glancing to his arm, he saw a small red line, nothing manger. But when his head started to grow cloudy, and the weapon in his hand started to grow heavy, he understood.

Fighting the drug, he fought Gasparo with more force and rage then before. Gasparo's weapons flew from his hands, and fear grow in his eyes as Ezio raised his sward. Bringing his blade down…he misted his target by inches.

His vision was too blurred to see Gasparo's kick coming. All the air left his lungs as Gasparo's boot landed into his gut, and as he fell to the ground. His limbs lay uses with the influence of the drug in his veins. And once again he found him self struggling to stay awake.

Gasparo kneeled beside him, panting. "This I promise you," he snarled with venom in his voice. "I will make you watch as I make her suffer, for your _fighting heart_!"

"No," Ezio muttered. "I'll part your head from your shoulders, before—." his words where stopped by Gasparo's fist. And like Elinana, he faded, into the dark nothing.


	25. Demon's Smile

**Warning: chapter **_**may**_** cause anger, anxiety, worry, confutation, and headaches. (I hope not!) and contains mild language.**

A gentle breeze caressed Elinana's face, and the high hanging sun blanketed her in warmth. Touching her ears was huffs, and gentle, concerned whinnies of a familiar friend. Polling her heavy eyelids open, she groaned and shied away from the bright face high above her.

Rolling to her side she met a soft, worm, muscular form. She didn't have to open her eyes to know that Hercules lied next to her, like a brave protector.

How did I get here? A small voice asked in her head. Like the sudden flood of a tide, the memories came back. The Romani camp, the poor bear, Ezio acting—. "Ezio," she whispered.

Forcing her self to open her eyes and rise to her hands and knees, she was just to the south of the Coliseum, and she was hidden from people, behind some old bits if ruins. But no sing of Ezio.

"Ezio!" panic swelled in her. It curled around her heart, and clenched her stomach. "Ezio, where? Not again." She shook her bowed head.

Awkwardly rising to her feet, Hercules rose and supported her. Managing to heave her self up on his back, they made for the south-west corner, while she kept a wary eye on her soundings. And soon, they grew near the camp.

Dismounting, she darted from cover, to cover, unseen; just the way her brothers taught her. Soon she came upon some Romani clothing in a basket, on a home wagon. An idea sparked into her mind, as she held the colorful fabric eye level. She grabbed what would fit; she then fell back to Hercules where she left him.

"Okay boy," she patted him, and began to remove her robes. "Keep on eye out for me."

**Ezio**

Flames touched a starry sky. The power of Hercules rippled under his lags, as he rode in a burning maze. Glancing to the left, he saw the all too familiar form of the gallows that of which his Brothers and Father died upon.

Gritting his teeth, he guided the powerful steed around the bend. He searched for something or some one, but he didn't know what or who it was.

"Auditore!"

Ezio turned his head to see Cesare Borgia, atop a stone platform, out of the reach of the flames. "Come," he called. "Die like the miserable mutt, that you called an uncle!"

The fire that blazed in Ezio, was a volcanic inferno compared to the blazing maze. But he continued to search, even when all he wanted to do was make the Borgia suffer.

Passage after passage, he searched. What am I looking for? He inwardly asked. What am I missing?

Then he saw it, or rather _her_. Elinana stood at the top of a tower, that looked exactly like his brother's and his favorite tower. High from the flames, she danced as she played a strange melody, clothed in a white dress that shimmered like the stars.

Something black and large moved at the corner of his eye. Turning to his left, he saw a nightmarish bat flying slowly toward Elinana.

"Elinana!" he called, as Hercules carried him closer to the tower. "Get down from there!" but she continued to dance and play, not acknowledging the flames, him, or the bat.

"Foolish girl is going to get her self killed!" He grumbled, urging Hercules to run faster. But the bat was winning, all the same.

Just as he thought he would see her die, she started to glow a radiate light of blue and white. And it grew as she played with passion that flowed, and danced like fire and water, till she shone brighter then the stars, and the moon.

A wave of water slapped his face, but the light still shone brightly on his eyes that were closed. Turning to his side, he shook the water away, and forced is grogginess away as well. He found himself staring at hay covered ground, with the smell of manure hanging in the dusty air.

"Wake up Adam!" snarled a voice he really was beginning to hate.

Turning his head he saw the black hooded and cloaked form with a wooden bucket hanging from his hand, behind dark iron bars.

Ezio sat with his lags bent before him, and he landing his back against the cold metal.

"Hello again," Gasparo greeted without merit.

Ezio glared at him, not offering any words.

"We really should stop meeting like this." He continued. Ezio finally spoke, but it was tense, and emotionless. "Mack it interesting, and come a little closer."

Gasparo chuckled without humor. "You really are not that different from the first Adam, Ezio Auditore." He placed the bucket down, and sat in a stool, and leaned on his knees with his elbows. "Tell me, have you told her?"

"About what?"

"About me; that she is being hunted, that it is practically her fault that I poisoned you. Speaking of poison; how did the two of you far?" he asked eager like a boy about to hear a story. "Did she offer words of comfort?"

"_Ezio,"_ the memory of her voice rang. _"Stay with me."_

"Did she panic?"

"_Ezio!"_ her voice called out in a desperate cry, far, far away; in his memory.

"Did you feel death, closing in?"

The hazy memory of Elinana shimmering with a blue and white light that rippled like ribbons; blossomed into his mind. And behind her, stood the dark form of Gasparo; engulfed with blackness. _"You are failing, Adam."_ He curled his long, clawed fingers around her throat. _"Remember she is a dead woman if you die. But of course, she is still one if you make it."_

Leaping to his feet Ezio slammed his fist to the iron that kept him from making the Borgia suffer. "You," he growled with fire in his eyes, ignoring the pain of his fist. "Leave her alone, she poses no threat to you!"

"Oh my poor amico," Gasparo sighed, and shook his bowed head. "What flows in her vines, lays a weapon that could destroy my beloved."

Ezio stood still as stone. Her gift. He thought. Could this man hold some of the answers of her strange ability to jump from one time, to another? If so, how does he know?

"She was-is, a beautiful sight." Gasparo sighed mournfully. "But you know something about the girl." he stated emotionlessly. "Don not deny it, I saw it in your eyes."

The fire in Ezio rose again, determined to protect Elinana any way he could, and that included her secret. Gasparo opened is mouth to speak, but a plump man hurried up to his side, as quickly as his short lags would allow.

"Gasparo!" he panted.

"Mario, I said no one was to disturb me and our guest." Gasparo darkly grumbled.

"We," he panted, and glanced at Ezio. "We are having…" he leaned close to Gasparo's ear and whispered in low tones.

Sighing, he rose from the stool. "We will continue after I have sorted out a small issue." He left, fallowed by Mario that jiggled was he tried to keep up with Gasparo's long strides.

Alone he took in his dismal surroundings. He was not the only one caged, dogs of various breads where locked up together, to the far right. All with the same tormented pain in their sad eyes and faces. The cage right next to him held a large cat painted orange and white, with black stripes. It slept with his head on his gigantic paws, snoring. To his left was the poor black beast that he saw earlier licking its foot, while it made whimper like sounds.

Ezio looked to them, and felt pity for the poor creatures. Then anger seeped in, for the ones that have done this to them. And for what they could do to Elinana, if he doesn't get out of his cage and find her before they did.

Just then a shadow flashed at the corner of his eye. Turning to a pile of hay, he saw a plum hooded head pop out fallowed by a tall slender form.

"Elinana?" he whispered only laude enough for her hear.

"Hay Tiger!" she replied, glancing to the entrance of the tent, while walking up to his cage. Bending to her level, he took in her disguise; the small cloak, a scarlet skirt that reveled her boots, and a violet peasant shirt.

The color combination didn't suit her, in his view. It made her shadowed eyes look like two pail stones.

"Is this a normal thing for you? Getting locked behind iron of sorts?" she asked examining the lock, and the door.

"Until you, came in to my life? No" he teasingly replied, with his musical voice that soothed Elinana's worry, and brought a smirk to her lips. "Sere, blame the girl that is trying to save your life." she teased with a smile.

"Elinana you should not be here," he turned serious and glanced over her shoulder, and saw some Romani passing now and then; but none noticed her. "You have to get far from here as passable."

"Not without you." She placed her elegant hand over his that curled around the cold bars. "Are you okay, aside from being in a cage?"

"Sì Colomba," he gently replied. Flashing a smile; his determination to protect her rose as he fixed his deep brown eyes with her gray stone eyes.

"Listen," he kept glancing to the entrance. "You need to get out of here."

"Do I have to repeat myself?" she sighed.

"This is not up to debate Elinana, your life is in danger!"

"So is yours!"

"Not nearly as much as yours!" he hissed. She stirred at him, "What?"

He sighed heavily, and rubbing his forehead, then fixed his eyes with hers after glancing at the entrance.

"The man that poisoned me," he paused, still wondering if he should tell her. "He is here. The Romani camp, is a trap-"

"All the more to get you out of here." she broke away, but froze as her eyes met the black beast.

"Elinana," he hissed. But she ignored him.

Walking over the cage, she gazed sadly at the miserable beast. His tired black, glistening eyes, fixed with hers. He seemed to ask, "Why? Why do this to me? Why take me from my forest?"

"He and I may not be from the same area," she mumbled mournfully, as if she felt the beast's pain. "But we are from the same wild, free land. Both vary far from home." she turned to Ezio, with a tear sliding down her cheek.

"He is a Bear, a Grizzly. I know this because he doesn't have a white patch on his chest." Her eyes found the Tiger and she walked over to his cage. She had never seen a Tiger in real life before, and she never thought it would be like this; in a poorly kept cage, old, and so tired of living.

"Do you know what he is, Ezio?" she quizzed.

"Elinana, now is not the time." His tone was tense.

"He is a Bengal Tiger. He belongs in his jungle, in the het and life of India." She rose. "No King should wither away in a cage."

Whimpering caught her attention, and she turned to the poor dogs crammed together. Walking to the last cage, she saw them cowering away from her, and her heart fell as she leveled to them. Slowly reaching her hand through the bars, she let them smell her hand. She soothed each of them, and they kissed her hands. Poor things must have never known a smidge of love till now.

Slowly backing away, her back found the support beam of the black and crimson striped tent. Turning in a circle, her sadness turned to anger.

"Elinana," Ezio grew restless, any secant Gasparo could come back. And find his prey right before him, and Ezio would be useless to protect her.

"I'll find the keys, and then we make them pay for this." She growled darkly.

"Run!" Ezio yelled, as a shadow grew over her. "Get out of here!"

She turned and came face, to shadowed face with Gasparo. Before she could react, a hand tightly curled around her throat, and pouched her hard against the support beam. She stomped on his foot, but he slammed his body hard against hers, knocking the air out of her lungs.

"Let's get rid of this," she heard the blade of her knife strap against leather, and a slight clatter as he threw it to his side.

"Let her go!" Ezio growled loudly. "Do what you whish to me, just let her go!"

Gasparo ignored Ezio, who forcefully polled and pouched on the door. Pouching her hood away, he took in her heated storm gray eyes, her chestnut hair, and her elegant build.

"Greetings Eve,"

That voice. She thought. I know that voice.

Seeming to see her question in her eyes, he smirked, and then lowered his hood. Her eyes grew wide, with terror, and shock.

One blue and one amber eye starred into her. His black mustache crept down the sides of his lips, to his chin.

"No," she squirmed, her throat tightened with fear as her insides turned to ice. "You can't,"

She felt sick, as she remembered black water shimmering with moonlight. Babbles danced as she struggled to get free. But even in death, his hold was iron. And her lungs burned for air.

Gasping, she pouched memory away. "You remember." He mused slowly. "How?" he forced her to look him in the eyes.

Forcing her fear away, she glared at him. "Andare all'inferno." She spat into his face.

Ezio gawked in surprise. I didn't teach her that. He thought. Oh Elinana, too brave for your own good.

Glaring at her, his lips curled up menacingly, making him look like a demon. Backing away he slammed his fist into her gut.

Ezio watched helplessly as Elinana collapsed to the ground, gasping, as Gasparo kicked her again and again.

"Bastardo!" Ezio slammed his shoulder into the iron, but they would not yield.

She heaved sharp breathes as he forced her up, and dragged to Ezio's cage, and was slammed against the cold bars.

"Let's try that again," he leaned in against her quivering body, as she coughed and breathed sharp breaths. "How do you remember me?"

Ezio gritted his teeth, and leaned close to her ear. "Tell him," he whispered. Knowing that giving in to his demands would get her killed, but at least this way she would not suffer torture. He reached his fingers through the bars to her cold quivering hand.

Elinana remained silent. She knew what Ezio wished of her, and she knew the outcome of both fighting, and giving in. I spent my life letting fear bully me. She thought. No more, no more will I submit to fear. Stand or die girl! Her thoughts yelled with such fierce, a Spartan would have flinched in fear.

"Not, any, more!" she growled. Then like lightning broke his grip, slammed her knee into his manhood, punched him the throat, and slammed his head into the bars.

Panting he fell to the ground, and monad in pain. Quickly searching his pockets, she couldn't find the keys. Rising, she looked to Ezio who looked worried, surprised, and pleased all at once. "He bloody, stinking, doesn't have the blooming keys!"

"Go," Ezio ordered sternly, watching Gasparo rise to his hands and knees, coughing and clutching his manhood.

"I," _cough_ "will rip you to peaces!"

She backed away to the entrance, and grabbed her knife from the dirt and straw covered ground. "Go, and don't look back!" he yelled.

In a split secant, she looked Ezio in the eyes, and promised through her gaze: "I will come back, but next time, I won't leave." Then she ran.

The colorful tents blurred as she ran, ignoring angry shouts, and yelled curses. She ran to where she left Hercules. Jumping onto his back, they took off like lightning over the rolling hills.

"_Don't look back!" _Ezio's words forced her to look forward, never looking back. Then soon she found herself in a familiar stable. Trembling, she gazed around the aria, but saw only common folk. Her body took hold, and guided her into Leonardo's workshop. Darting in, she leaned most of her weight on the closed door.

"Tu chi sei?" demanded a slightly angry Leonardo. Elinana slowly turned to him, feeling weighed from shock. "Non si può semplicemente ch-! Elinana?" he placed down his brush and paint pallet down, and hurried over to her.

"Leo," she murmured.

"What is wrong, has something happened to Ezio?" Concern was in his voice, eyes and face. She felt weak and sick, and her lags threatened to give under her.

"Caged," she nearly sobbed a whisper. "Caged by the man I thought was dead. And he should be dead; he died with an arrow to the head, and dr-," she pouched the memories away, and started to slide down the door.

"Elinana!" Leo wrapped his arms around her, and gently polled her to his side then guided her to the bed. Setting her down, he kneeled before her. Pouching her hood away, he saw that she was pale, and her gray stone eyes starred blankly, save for fear.

"Leo, I ran," tears swelled in her eyes. "I ran, again. Why is it so hard for me to stand? Why can't I be brave as my mommy, daddy, brothers and sisters? I'm tired of running, tired of being a cawed, tired of being the punching bag."

Leo was struck by her words, and didn't really know what to say, but he managed to find some words. "I you have suffered greatly, and will suffer more on your road. But know this, you are strong, you have stood, and you deserve so much better then the path that has been set before you." He whipped away her tears with a handkerchief he polled out from a pocket. "Come young assassin," he polled her to her feet. "We will rid to the barrack, and make a plan to rescue Ezio." he supported her as they make for the door.

Outside, she polled her hood up over her head. "Everything will be all right, you'll see."

"I wish I had your optimism." She muttered.

**Ezio**

Ezio sat with his lags bent before him, wondering if his apprentice had escaped. She must have. He thought. Otherwise the bastardo would have brought her before me to watch helplessly as he beat her, even kill her.

But what if she was injured, where is she now? He closed his eyes, and leaned his head back against the cold uncomfortable bars, facing up.

If Elinana's God is out there, He inwardly prayed. Please let her be well, unharmed, and in good hands.

He raised his head, and opened his eyes to the sound of foot steps. The shadowy form of Gasparo limped into the tent, _alone_. Ezio found that a great weight was lifted, and he breathed the stuffy air, deeply. "She got away." He couldn't help but smile, even before the Borgia.

"Don't sound so pleased," Gasparo snarled. "I let her go! Because I know your weakness; and it mirrors hers!"

Ezio's smile remained, but was no longer true. "Insanity seems to run through blood." He mused. "Who are you _really_? You can not be the same person the tried to kill her in the past."

"You are right," Gasparo sat on the stool. "He was not I, however, if you look at it in a certain light. It was."

"Like I said; _insanity_."

Gasparo laughed, which nearly sounded like a true laugh. Nearly being the word.

"I remember glimpses, and certain truths of different lives, different eras. Take Julius Caesar! Granted he was stabbed 23 times, however. It was a poison that took his life. And it was delivered by an assassin much like you, Auditore; an Adam."

"And you remember my apprentice."

"Yes, I remember. I remember finding her a bloody mess, nearing death, by the hands of _your_ order." He evilly smirked, then continued after not getting any response. "Then my comrades and I brought her to the Cathedral in Acre. Where the monks that work with us; healed her wounds. But they refused to let us question her to much. We where planning to move her to a more _secure _location, but her Adam came and spirited her away the night before. But I watched it happen, I watched her heal back to Eve. When I finally took action, it was then that my suspicions where correct. But I was rash, and underestimated her and Adam. But this time, I have a plan. And when she returns," he rose. "She will not slip through my grasp again." He left; leaving Ezio alone with his thoughts.

If not for him, she would be dead. He thought. But if he had known who she was, he would have let her die. How could he know about Caesar? I had no inkling that one of the Order was behind it.

"_I remember glimpses, and certain truths of different lives, different eras…" _

He is something else. Elinana gift is dangerous, and shrouded by unanswered questions, but there is a beauty to it. But this man, he is old; he is a danger that lies solely on his whim. Elinana purely wishes to be reunited with her Father. But like the Borgia the he is; he naturally seeks blood.

How does he see what others have seen? He contemplated as dusk grew closer.

"_You want to know another thing about me?" she asked, not taking her eyes from the sight. _

"_Nothing too strange I hope." He replied, taking in her fiery ribbon hair, and her eyes that turned to a shad of violet, in the light of the setting sun. _

"_My favorite time of day," she replied. "Dusk, and dawn." _He smiled at the memory. Midnight; if we make it out alive, I'll tell her I always liked midnight.

**Elinana**

Pacing back and forth, in the roof of the barrack wall walked Elinana. The pale light of the first quarter moon lit her steppes. Millions thoughts swirled in her head, and her heart felt heavy by each of them.

"Elinana!" Leonardo's call broke the spell. "Every one is here. Come, they are waiting for you!"

"Be right down!" she replied. Breathing heavily, her armpits where cold from sweating in the cool night air, and her body quivered, despite her robes.

"God, please be with me, for I am terrified. What if they agree that I am guilty? What if Ezio dies because of the mad man that wishes to see me dead?" she looked to the winking stars, and the moon, but no reply, just the gentle touch of a cool breeze. "Still, I can't do this on my own. I thought I could, thought I could forget… but I can't. If this works, or not, I may be meeting you soon." with that she murmured. "In your name I pray, amen." Crouching by the edge of the roof, she swung, and turned to face the wall. Clambering down, she nimbly leaped down to the cobblestone ground with a small clap. Rising up strait, she marched to the center the barrack. Placing her hand on the handle, she froze as cold fear curled around her heart, snaking up her spine, and tightened around her stomach and throat.

Closing her eyes she forced her fear away. Now is not the time for fear! Her conscience snapped. You want to be brave as your brothers? Then open the door. Obeying, she pouched up and forward. Light of the fire, and candles greeted her; along with the faces of the Masters of the Italian Assassins.

She uneasily made to the center of the grope that ringed around her. She couldn't look at them, not even to Maria, and Claudia that stood next to her.

"Ezio has been captured by a mad man, who tried to kill me long ago. The Romani camp is a trap…" she paused as Leonardo translated for the ones that didn't know English.

"A trap for whom?" asked Machiavelli. Her head bowed lower. "For _me_."

This is it. She thought. "He was behind Ezio's poisoning, and now this; all to get to Me." she kneeled down. "I broke the third tenet."

When Leo didn't translate, Machiavelli did, and then some. Then came a single word from every one of them, each in turn. She searched for the translated word but she couldn't find it. Machiavelli grabbed her shoulders and polled her to her feet.

"You have broken no tenet, because this was not of your doing. Leonardo told us you were deeply troubled by what has happened, and I see that it is true. "

She glanced over to Leo who gave her a sheepish smile. Smirking, and felling a bit lighter, she shook her head. "Grazie, fratelli." She said to all of them, with a hand on her heart.

Bartolomeo stepped up to her side, said something she didn't understand, and slapped her back. Stumbling forward, she regained her balance, and smirked at him.

"Come," Machiavelli waved her over to the table. "Tell us everything you can of this man, and of the camp."

Nodding she, then told them what she knew, and some of her theories; but left out the bit about different eras, of cores. "And if it's any constellation, I have a plan." She proclaimed at the end of the tale.

"What sort of plan?" Machiavelli asked.

She smirked, but the heaviness returned. "Well give him what he wants-"

"No," protested Leo. "We can not allow you to such a dangerous thing."

"Believe me. If he wants my life, he is going to have to work out my little idea. And it's similar, to a simple little game that anyone can fall for." She smirked to her won puzzle.


End file.
